One Day More
by magakee
Summary: What if Cosette was in love with Marius - but Marius was in love with Eponine, Eponine was in love with Enjolras, and Enjolras was in love with Cosette? Now, as the days pass, anxiety builds, and a wanted Jean Valjean cannot find his beloved daughter – what's to happen? Please read and review! (Slightly AU);Eventual E/E & M/C.
1. A Mistake

**Authors Note: This scene happens instead of Eponine's Errand and A Heart Full of Love. The story moves on from there.  
Disclaimer, I do not own anything from Les Miserables.**

**Chapter One  
A Mistake**

The rain that had begun to fall so suddenly began to pelt and harder and harder against the buildings along the streets until the figures on the streets became blurs to Cosette. Had her father fallen asleep so quickly he hadn't seen her escape into the night? It hurt her deeply to leave him, like she was parting with her other half, but she was much older now, no longer a scared little girl - at least, she couldn't be. Leaving this town with that face still fresh in her mind would have hurt her far more though. That face that she had seen so abruptly in the crowd of people before Javert had caused them to flee in the village. Had he seen her too? Did he even give a second thought about her?

A strange rustling in the bushes shook Cosette's train of thought. "Who's there?" She whispered suddenly, hiding behind a nearby tree.

"Cosette?" A voice answered back hesitantly. Cosette could make out two familiar eyes looking in the night.

"Who are you?"

The voice breathed in deeply before answering, "Eponine."

Eponine _Thenardier_? Had this been the girl who had lived with Cosette during her time staying at the Thenardier's inn? A rush of memories flood into her mind causing her to stumble slightly. Why had Eponine sought her out after all these years? The Thenardiers never showed any compassion towards Cosette; the only compassion they'd shown was towards their daughter, and what had that daughter done about it? She never played with Cosette, never talked to her, and only basked in the riches her parents were spoiling her with. Surely all bought from the lousy income they made from stealing the goods of others.

"Why are you here?" Cosette asked bitterly, moving closer and closer to her voice.

"Because," Eponine said looking back at Enjorlas who was twiddling his thumbs anxiously near the wall, "I have someone who would like to meet you."

"Oh," Cosette looked back to the direction of her home, missing her warm bed and beginning to regret ever leaving. Perhaps this person could be the boy she had seen so briefly before.

"Where is she?" Enjorlas whispered to Eponine before suddenly locking eyes with Cosette. What a beauty she was, her soaked hair shining like gold in the night, her eyes like the very stars above.

He had only briefly seen her today in the village, hoping that perhaps she was looking back at him instead of Marius. Instead of feeling angst and hatred, he began to feel a softness in his heart. Something he had never felt before...

"Enjorlas," he introduced confidently sticking out his hand, smiling like a fool.

Eponine giggled quietly at the sight before her. How could such a man as Enjorlas fall in love with such a naïve and helpless girl like Cosette? She had watched him grow into the leader of the barricade, supporting his entire crew like they were his brothers - all except for Eponine. He had barely acknowledged her until Marius had suggested she introduce him to the girl he had been so entranced by in the village. Now, he was just a mumbling fool.

"EPONINE?" A voice suddenly called out, harsh and aggravated.

"It's my father!"

"Why is he here?" Enjorlas asked breaking his eye contact with Cosette. Had he expected Eponine to return to him all of a sudden after these few days?

"Mr. Thenardier?" Cosette breathed, suddenly trembling like a leaf in the wind. His face made a regular appearance in her nightmares, theatening to come and take her back from Jean. Enjorlas embraced Cosette, sharing his warmth and making Eponine shake with anger.

"Come, follow me." She whispered, dragging them both into the darkness of a nearby alleyway, praying that her father would not find them.

"EPONINE?" He called out again, "This is why ya don't have kids. They turn ta idiots!" He mumbled, walking away.

Eponine could feel herself begin to boil over with anger as Enjorlas and his new found love barely acknowledged what was happening. What a father he was! Here was Cosette, saved at last from a horrible childhood that was passed down to Eponine. Saved at last by her prince in shining armour, and what was Eponine to him? Nothing but some pathetic girl that hung around Marius as a desperate attempt to make Enjorlas notice her. To maybe dream that one day he would put everything on the line for her as she would surely do for him.

"He's gone." She said, slowly following Enjorlas back onto the streets.

"Where are you to staying?" He asked Cosette tenderly.

"She can stay with me." Eponine replied quickly, giving Cosette a dirty look.

"But –" Cosette argued.

"Don't fret; I don't live with _them _anymore." She laughed, "I sleep in a small room next to Monsieur Marius' on the top floor, when I have no time to go home. Consider that your permanent room for now."

"Thank you Eponine." Cosette smiled, hoping that this Monsieur was the same one she had seen earlier and trying very hard not to look directly at Enjorlas who had the look of determination completely wiped off his face. What had come over him so suddenly, when they needed him most?

Eponine became baffled all of a sudden – did she not _like _him? Did Cosette not wish to have anything to do with him? Why had she even run away from her perfect life if she wasn't looking at Enjorlas today at the village the same way he was looking at her?

"Eponine," Cosette began, "who is Marius?" She now walks fully in front of Enjorlas.

Suddenly, everything became clear to her. Cosette had only run away from her home for Marius, not Enjorlas, and now he assumed that she was to be his lover... What had she done? What would Enjorlas think of Eponine now that she knew the truth? Perhaps she would just have to hide it…


	2. Enjolras' Revelation

**Chapter Two  
Enjorlas' Revelation**

The feeling of warmth engulfed the four as they entered the Café Musain.

"Enjorlas!" Grantaire exclaimed as he noticed that he had arrived. "Who's this?" He whispered referring to Cosette.

He wiggled his eyebrows and took another sip of his beer, only stopping to burp. Enjorlas punched his shoulder and they both began to laugh.

"Her name is Cosette." Eponine replied, unaware if they were still listening, "I must go to show her the room she will be sleeping in tonight." She added taking her through the halls, hoping that Enjorlas would come to his senses in her absence.

"He smelled so strongly of alcohol…" Cosette whispered, stifling a laugh.

"He usually does," Eponine smiled, "but you get used to it."

"Enjorlas seems so kind," she whispered to break the silence, smiling half-heartedly and looking up hesitantly at Eponine.

"What?"

"Why did he come to find me?"

"I –" What was she to say? _Enjorlas is in love with you even though you can't bear to be near him…_

"I'm not sure." She finally replied, opening the door to their room.

There was no bed on the dusty wooden floors below. Cosette was particularly shocked at the rather large gaping hole in the corner allowing the two to clearly see Grantaire dancing on a table with Gavroche nearly fainting from laughter. She stared back hesitantly at Eponine. Why had she left her warm, clean, loving home for _this?  
_  
"I have some blankets you can sleep on," Eponine began, remembering she forget where she had left them, "Monsieur Marius may know where they are –"

"Is he here?" Cosette asked anxiously, biting her lip.

"We'll have to find out then, won't we…?" Eponine opened Marius' door slowly and found him sitting solemnly on his bed, watching the people on the street move by.

Only she knew why of course, he had been like this for the past few days, only stopping to talk to Enjorlas or Eponine. He had regretted leaving his Grandfather to join the rebels from the first day, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Even if his Grandfather detested him in every way for it…

"Marius," Eponine began, "this is Cosette."

"Hello Monsieur." She smiled, moving closer to see his face. _This was him._This was the face she had seen so briefly in the village. This was the face that had stopped her from moving out of town with her father.

But this face was looking at another, "Eponine." Marius said smiling, "I heard you left but I'd no idea you'd bring back a guest." He stuck out his hand to shake Cosette's.

"We came for some blankets, I'm staying the night."

"I hope we didn't give you a fright downstairs, this is our way to ready ourselves for the barricade."

"The barricade?" Cosette asked, taking a seat next to Marius.

"It's something the ABC society started, lead of course by Enjorlas. It is our fight for freedom." The very idea added a glisten to Marius' eyes.

"Admirable, isn't it?" Eponine added, smiling at Marius who seemed entranced by her.

He had been acting like a lost little boy a lot lately, and it worried Eponine deeply. Both Enjorlas and he were always such leaders in the group, such role models. Without strong figures in the group, who did people like Gavroche have to look up to? Why were they acting so strange…

"Eponine, may I talk to you for a moment…?" Marius exclaimed suddenly, giving her a look. Eponine nodded and excused herself and Marius from the room.

"Enjorlas _likes _her, does he not?" He asked suddenly, relieving Eponine that somebody had figured it out.

"I suppose but s_he_ doesn't love _him_." Eponine whispered back. _She loves you,_she wanted to say desperately.

"Perhaps I should persuade her."

"Perhaps not." Eponine laughed sadly, "Besides, she's having a hard time so far, let her get used to him. Maybe he'll grow on her."

"Maybe." Marius smiled and excused himself downstairs.

"Marius!" Grantaire exclaimed as he stood on a chair next to Gavroche.

"Your skating on thin ice Monsieur, talking to the new one." Gavroche laughed, "Enjorlas won't like that!"

"The new one?"

"Closet, was it?" He raised an eyebrow.

"_Cosette_," Enjorlas corrected as he walked up to Marius, "isn't she beautiful?"

Marius shrugged and took a beer from him, "I think Eponine used to know her…"

"You probably never gave much thought about her, considering your other lover..." Enjorlas winked and laughed.

"Wasn't it you who called me – what was it?" Marius teased, "Oh yes, immature, childish…" Marius took a sip of his beer and hiccupped. "Now you're in the same boat as I am."

"Alright, I misjudged you. To be fair, monsieur, you _have_ fallen for _Eponine_."

"What?" Gavroche spit, laughing at Marius, "Eponine?"

"Hey!" Marius began, "Keep it down. We already have enough to worry about and she barely cares for anyone but our guest right now. " He could feel his breath shorten, "Not me."

Before anyone could take back their words, Marius had left the café, standing outside in the cold rain and watching the others through the window.

Eponine hid behind a wall holding a blanket in her hand for Cosette. She was trying very hard not to fall to the ground in tears, a hard knot forming her throat. Marius loved her? Her best friend and the only boy who truly acknowledged her _loved her?_ She felt her heart beat faster as she thought of what the others had said. Enjorlas had _ridiculed_the very thought of anyone loving Eponine. He only cared for Cosette, not her, and she hated him for it. Dropping the blankets, she ran upstairs and shut the door to Marius' room, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Eponine?" Cosette asked, knocking on the door.

"Go away!" She exclaimed bitterly, wiping away her tears.

Cosette knocked once more, "Please, I just want to help."

"I don't need it Colette!" Eponine covered her mouth. Her parents never knew Cosette's name either.

Cosette's eyes filled with tears, "Never mind then." She ran downstairs and came face to face with Enjorlas who was riling up a crowd.

"Cosette how is your new room?" He asked kindly, trying to hide the fact that he was tipsy.

"Fine, thank you." Cosette mumbled, "I'm looking for some blankets."

"Oh, someone dropped one over there." He pointed, "May I be of any assistance?"

"Not really, thank you." Cosette moved along and grabbed the towel off the ground but was stopped by Marius' voice.

"Somebody's on the streets." He warned, "Says they're looking for Cosette."

Cosette's breath shortened as she eyed Marius carefully. She had to let Eponine know...

"What's 'is name?" Gavroche asked.

"Thenardier…?" He shrugged. "Should I tell him to get lost?"

"Eponine," Cosette whispered, running upstairs to warn her. "Eponine, your father's here."

"What?" She sniffled, wiping the tears from her swollen eyes.

"Eponine open the door! He's looking for me!"

"You?" What was Cosette talking about?

"I'm not sure why…"

"Cosette, tell Enjolras to shut off all the lights and tell everyone to be quiet, I'll go speak with him." She said looking through Marius' window to see her father pacing just in front of the building and flinging the door open.

He'd no idea that she was there, so why _was _he here? She ran down the stairs and past Marius quickly before calling her father's name.

"Eponine?"

"Why are you here?" She asked bitterly.

"I saw her, that girl you never liked. The girl that wanted man took from us years ago." Thenardier had a wicked gleam in his eye, making Eponine fret for the future.

"Colette was it?" Eponine lied, hoping to lead her father off track. "She's not here anymore. I swear. I heard some people talking about her moving out of town."

"Outta town?" Thenardier snickered. "Well that's just perfect'. I heard Javert's got a big price on her little head."

"A price?" She gulped, looking back at the café. She could see Cosette's eyes looking frightfully at the scene in the darkness of Marius' room.

"You look nervous… are you hiding something?"

"No." Eponine backed away, "Now go home or I'll call for help."

"Eponine, don't you dare. The guards are roaming the city, they'll catch her and her idiot of a father too!"

"You can't be here." She warned.

"Is it because she's with you?" Thenardier laughed, "Thought ya could trick me?"

"Go AWAY or I'll scream, I promise!" Eponine kept her promise and began to shriek.

"Keep it down!" Thenardier begged as Eponine began to scream and scream.

Thenardier raised his hand on her daughter but someone had caught him in time.

"Don't touch her!" Enjorlas yelled, punching him in the face and dragging Eponine into another alleyway nearby and far away from the café.

Marius had made sure to keep the lights down and the children quiet as Enjorlas had requested. Thenardier would never find them. The guards poured onto the streets and he left with them, leaving Eponine and Enjorlas alone. Eponine stood silently for a moment, contemplating what had happened and calming herself down.

"You too! Don't you touch me either!", she said, pulling her arm out of his grasp, her heart still aching from his words.

"Are you too good to have me save you now?"

"Save me?" She laughed, "I could have saved myself..."

"That was obvious." He smirked. "Besides, if I hadn't come, he might have captured Cosette."

"Captured Cosette?" Eponine's jaw fell open, "He might've captured her and everyone else if I hadn't told Cosette to tell _you_ to keep the cafe quiet." She could feel herself becoming more and more flustered, "He might have killed _me _if you hadn't shown up." Her eyes filled up with tears. "It's nearly happened before…"

"Your father hurts you?" Enjorlas whispered, suddenly feeling his stomach churn..

"It's none of your business." She replied, moving away from him and back onto the streets. "You must miss your Cosette. Time to go back."

"Wait – Eponine!" He called after her, but before he could say much more, she had returned to Musain. Perhaps this girl wasn't as useless as he had thought.


	3. A Different Side

**Chapter Three  
A Different Side**

Her bed was empty, her shoes had disappeared, and _she _was missing.

"Cosette!" Jean Valjean yelled, searching frantically in every nook and cranny of the house.

They had to be on well on their way out of town by now, where had she so mysteriously gone off too? Jean could feel his heart bursting out of his chest with each pump, his pulse racing with raw sadness and anger. What if Javert had finally caught her? Could this man have been so ruthless as to take his only source of happiness?

"COSETTE!" He screamed once more, tearing apart her room and refusing to admit that she had gone.

Was it because he had refused to tell her about his past? About why he had escaped the village before Javert's always searching eyes could find them? He sank to the floor and let a few tears roll down his cheeks. He tried to search for every relevant memory he had of the day before, but all that he seemed to remember was the village and how dazed Cosette had seemed. What had she been looking at? Perhaps that was exactly what he had to look for.

Before Jean could gather his thoughts, gunshots sounded outside and he knew exactly why. Javert.

"Monsieur," a man Jean recognized to be that filth of a man Thenardier said, "I know he lives in these parts, I've been told by my daughter…"

Javert ignored his constant ramblings and moved aside, marching closer and closer to his home. Grabbing anything in reach, Jean quickly ran to the back exit, levering himself over the gates and away from Javert. _Let them find my home, _Jean thought, _he'll never find me. _Running quickly past the Café Musain, he had passed Cosette without even knowing it, now leaving her and his home behind.

Cosette had been left alone for the night, Eponine deciding that if she left, it would be a better for keeping the others safe. Thenardier perhaps wouldn't think she was hiding anything, although he did very much. As soon as he had left, Eponine had too. A thick layer of fog was rolling in, making Eponine squint to see what was in front of her. Of course, it only added to the eerie feel life was beginning to take over France. They were only a few days away from settling this feud for freedom once and for all, the guards were on their toes, watching everyone and everything, and Thenardier had grown more suspicious of his daughter day by day.

"'Ponine!" Marius exclaimed as soon as she entered through the doors of the café. "Where on Earth did you go last night?"

"Home." She sighed, trying not to look at Marius directly. Did he still feel anything for her?

"You must be freezing, I'll go get some blankets –"

"Don't, Marius. It's alright." She smiled, walking right past him and Enjolras.

"What's her problem?" He sighed, taking a sip of beer. "We've got to put these petty things behind us if we're going to fight this battle mes amis." Had he already forgotten that he resembled a love sick puppy the previous night?

"Enjolras, you know what it feels like to have be struck with a moment breathless delight, do you not?" Marius asked suddenly.

"What?"

"You need to remember who you love, put time aside for them, in case we all –"

"Never say die." Enjolras murmured before taking another sip of beer. "And may I ask you, mon ami, where are you going with this?"

"You saved Eponine last night. I thought you'd run to Cosette – why?" Marius whispered, hints of jealousy hiding in his voice.

"I was repaying a favour. Nothing more." Enjolras promised, crossing his fingers behind his back. He couldn't bear to lie to his dearest friend, but he had to. What he had seen Eponine give up was remarkable, and strange to him. Why had he never seen her in such a light before? Why had she and Marius grown so close, not him?

"Why don't you check on your dearly beloved then?" Marius smiled, laughing with Enjolras. He nodded and headed up the stairs, knocking on the room she had been sleeping in.

"Shh," Eponine put her finger to her lips, "she's still asleep that one." She shook her head and laughed, "Out like a light."

"You should be getting ready."

"I am ready. I just don't spend time drinking away." She raised an eyebrow at the beer in his hands and watched as he turned slightly red.

"We'll be waiting downstairs if you need us."

"I won't." She snapped, looking back out the window, making Enjolras realize she had a gash along the side of her face.

"Was it your father's doing?" Enjolras asked, taking a seat next to her.

"What happens with my father is none of your business, Monsieur." Eponine hid the anguish in her voice. Had she been so careless as to let him see her wound?

"Was it not you who had said I saved you just last night?" Enjolras smiled as he saw Eponine's cheeks turn red.

"Thank you, but you aren't needed anymore. I'm not going back." She sighed, "I'll stay here, help prepare for the barricade, put myself to good use."

"The barricade?" Enjolras raised an eyebrow. She would get herself killed at the barricade… "You can't help. That's final." He got up and head for the door but she caught his hand.

"You can't _tell _me what to do Enjolras. If Gavroche can fight, isn't it a bit unfair that I can't?"

"I'm not letting you. I _let _Gavroche."

"Oh really?" Eponine felt anger take over, how much longer would she let others tell her what to do? "Monsieur Enjolras, with all due respect, you do not _own _me in any way. If you all die, I won't be here to remember you."

"Better to die for freedom than for glory." He muttered, walking past her and wishing they had spoken of something else. Did he want her to leave the society forever, leaving him with only a memory?

"Good, then I shan't come back." Eponine whispered coldly, grabbing her things and marching past Enjolras.

"Eponine?" Marius asked as she walked past him and out the door, "EPONINE!"

"What?" She turned around with tears in her eyes. "He hates me Marius. Don't make me go back!"

"Who hates you?" He caught her as she fell to the ground, completely distraught.

"He won't let me fight and if I can't fight, I – I can't bear to have you all gone and me not being able to stop it. You care for me more than my family – I won't have anybody..." She cried, feeling strange for telling Marius all this.

"Eponine, come in. Calm down, this isn't healthy for you." Marius whispered, "Sometimes we just need to open our eyes. His are still closed." He muttered, noticing bags under Eponine's eyes with bruises all over her body.

What had happened? Did Enjolras know anything of this? Marius felt himself growing more distant from his dear friend since the night before. Why had he gone upstairs to torment Eponine, a girl he barely knew existed before? Why had she been so upset about this even though she seemed to have nothing but hate for him? This was not the same man who had fought so hard for freedom that it was all he thought and cared for. And she was most certainly not the same girl who had been so calm and caring to everyone, even with an idiot of a father and mother. What was going on?


	4. Before the Barricade

**Chapter Four  
Before the**** Barricade**

Cosette was beginning to become more and more worrisome about the fate of her father after Eponine had told her that Javert had likely run him out of his home. She had locked herself in her room and cried and cried for days, only letting Marius or Eponine in for some comfort. She had no patience for Enjolras, especially after he had shut himself back out from the world and committed himself to getting the people of France to join the revolution.

"I don't understand anymore Eponine," she sighed, "I can't leave for I have no home, and I cannot fight if you can't."

"I'll stay with you." She smiled; baffled by the fact that Cosette had become something like a younger sister to her in the past few days.

She still felt sadness in her heart though, caused of course by Enjolras who seemed to have completely forgotten about their conversation. He had again thrown himself into politics and the revolution, which was reasonable considering the barricade the next day. With the upcoming conflict, the entire society was beginning to wonder what was to come and why Enjolras wasn't helping them prepare. After all, it would be them putting their lives on the line…

"Cosette, I found something by your home." Marius said, suddenly appearing by the door holding a letter. "I think your father may have written it."

Cosette suddenly ran out of her 'bed' and grabbed the letter from him anxiously, holding it close to her racing heart.

It was indeed from Jean Valjean, scribbled quickly before he had fled the country:

_Dearest Cosette,_

_I have not the slightest idea where you have gone, but I pray that you are safe and happy. I will never stop searching for you once it is safe again in France. I apologize for not telling you all the secrets of my past, I trust that one day it will be for the best…_

The rest of the letter was not legible because the ink had run and blurred the text.

Cosette could feel tears rushing to her eyes, "Well, where is he?"

"I don't know…" Marius sighed, "I'm so sorry." He walked over to comfort her, wrapping his arms around her waist and embracing her as stifled tears.

Eponine had noticed another strange thing; Marius was beginning to grow fonder of Cosette day by day… His sudden change of heart had caused something like jealousy to spark inside of Eponine. Why was Cosette so speacial to both Marius and Enjolras?

"I have to find him."

"No," Eponine answered quickly, "its dangerous Cosette."

"Besides, Enjolras wouldn't be too happy with you, would he?" Marius added.

"Well what do you propose I do?"

"This is ridiculous," Eponine sighed, "If Enjolras hadn't left us all clueless we wouldn't be in this mess! I'm going to talk to him."

Enjolras had refused to speak with anyone from the society for days and was beginning to feel a strange sensation inside of him, making him realize so many things other than his love for Patria. He felt it slowly tearing him apart from the inside, changing every belief he had ever had. He had never had this kind of compassion for Cosette, the woman he thought he had fallen in love with– why Eponine? He sat solemnly by the cafe, looking out onto the streets and thinking about tomorrow. One day more until all their fates would be decided, including his beloved Patria. Did he even want this revolution anymore?

"Enjolras," He heard, turning to find Eponine standing nervously by the door, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Eponine? What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," she smiled sitting next to him, "your letting tes amis down. You can't do this, we have less than a day –"

"Oh what do you care? You can't fight anyways Eponine." He snapped, hoping that the look of determination would fade from her face.

"I get it." She replied through her teeth, "But _you_ need to grow up." She pushed him down slightly, standing up to look down at him. "People are _depending_on you. What happened to the man who had nothing but care for his friends and country?"

Enjolras remained quiet for a few moments, contemplating what he had just heard. Eponine was right, there was less than a full day till the conflict, and what had he done about it?

"Look –" Enjolras sighed, "I apologize. I'll do what I can to help us prepare."

"And I'll do what I can to stay out of your way." Eponine curtseyed sarcastically and began to head away, leaving Enjolras in complete confusion and misery.

Marius had kept Cosette company for the entire day, both of them talking excitedly about the chances of winning the battle, and Cosette writing a letter to her father to place by their home in case he had returned somehow.

Marius was beginning to admire Cosette for putting her fears behind her, but that wasn't what she wanted. How could her father be running for his life while she was sitting comfortably in a shelter with people to care for her? She had to win this fight for freedom, for her father, so that maybe, just as he had said, they could find each other sometime soon. Once Marius had left and Eponine had come to keep Cosette company, she began to vent.

"We should be allowed to fight." She declared, sounding much more confident than usual.

"What?" Eponine's jaw fell open. Was this the same helpless girl she had once known?

"My father is being hunted, I know it. Why shouldn't we be able to fight for the freedom of people like him? He's never committed any crime…"

"I promise you, we will." Eponine replied sadly, realizing that Cosette still had a glimmer of hope in her future, whilst she had completely run out of it as soon as Cosette had been adopted.

Even Marius was beginning to warm up to Cosette, why did Eponine have any hope of Enjolras falling for a poor, abused girl like her? Her father was a conman, her mother as well, both completely idiotic, abusive, and deceiving. In fact, Thenardier had made sure to overhear Javert's plans to spy on the students at the barricade the next day; looking forward to robbing the corpses of any goods they had on them. Of course Eponine had no clue, but she knew that wherever her father was, he was up to no good.

Soon, night had arrived, Enjolras was still missing and Eponine began to worry about the fate of the society, especially with Marius. She was beginning to feel something like the love she used to have Enjolras inside of her, was she to tell him that? Did he even still feel that way about her? She looked around for any sign of Enjolras and realized he was back at the door with Grantaire at his right and Gavroche singing songs by his other side.

"We've one day monsieur, are you not nervous?" Grantaire asked, slurring his words together.

Eponine laughed when he saw Gavroche imitating him, ruffling his shaggy hair as she made her way up to Enjolras.

"Thank you." She whispered, "I'm glad your back."

"Me too." He replied, letting his guard down slightly and shooing away Grantaire and Gavroche.

He cleared his throat and leaned against the bar, making direct eye contact with Eponine and laughing as she blushed.

"I must be going," she sighed, "Cosette will be missing me once Marius comes downstairs to drink weith you. After all, there's one more day till you all begin to fight... "

"They've grown closer, haven't they?" He asked, suddenly changing the subject before she would walk away.

"I suppose…" She replied sadly, regretting the fact that she had lost her lover so quickly. Although she had never felt the same way about him before, he had meant more than the world to her for the longest time, and now, she was losing her only lover to Cosette.

"Eponine?" Enjolras asked, putting down his drink. "I'm sorry, for everything."

"What?" She almost choked.

"For ignoring you, for tormenting you, for never thanking you for introducing me to Cosette… Should I go on?"

Eponine laughed nervously, caught completely off guard. Before she could respond, he had planted a kiss on her cheek tenderly. Clearing his throat once more and grabbing his drink, he made his way up the stairs, past Marius, who had been watching tin awe the whole time.


	5. A Spy

**Chapter Five  
A Spy  
**

The barricade was in the process of being built as Marius' heart was in the process of being repaired. He hadn't slept the previous night, feeling himself toss and turn over thoughts of Cosette, Enjolras, and especially Eponine. Enjolras and Eponine were his _best_friends, why did he have the feeling that with the addition of Cosette to his life, he had become just another passing figure in theirs?

Eponine on the other hand was beginning to regret ever second guessing Marius' love for her. She _needed _him in her life, more so than she had ever needed Enjolras. Patria was always his mistress – never her, and it baffled her why had he chosen such an unfortunate time to become so emotional about his feelings for others…

Before the night could come, Eponine had begun to contemplate what they had done earlier that day in fear for what it may bring. They had so blindly waved their flags infront of the people of france and angered them during a memorial. She was thankful she was busy with Cosette earlier, or she might have done something she would've regretted - especially with Marius. He was slowly turning into Enjolras, headstrong and obsessed with politics. With an attack very possible in the passing hours, she had to talk to him. If they were to die, he had to know how she felt about him.

"Marius?" She whispered, looking around corners of the café and wine shop, "Marius?"

"What do you want?" He muttered, appearing suddenly behind her, leaning casually on the staircase.

"Marius, I have to explain –"

"There's nothing to explain." He differed, looking quite shaken, "I'm happy for you both. Enjolras deserves to be happy."

"And I do not?"

"You deserve more than happiness. I'm sorry I cannot give you that." He flung a gun over his shoulder and smiled sadly, "I must go."

"So it's true." Eponine replied quickly, stopping him from leaving. "You've fancied me for a while now, haven't you?"

"It's not like you cared though Ponine. Really, I don't want to talk about this."

"Marius," Eponine leaned in hesitantly and kissed his cheek, "I never meant to hurt you. I love you too much." She could feel tears rushing to her eyes, "I'm so sorry for everything I've done."

"Me too." Marius said, nodding and walking away from her. What had she done wrong? Did he not want her love? Was that not why he was so upset? If he wasn't happy, then perhaps he would not be focused during the fight and injure himself. Marius was going to get himself killed!

Running frantically up the stairs and into Cosette's room, Eponine devised a plan.

"Cosette, we have to fight." She whispered nervously, throwing blankets upon blankets out of drawers she had recently stocked.

"What are you doing?"

"Wrap them around your chest. Tuck your hair into a hat," Eponine replied, shutting the door and composing herself, "don't let anybody see that you're a girl."

"What?" Cosette asked, obeying and tucking her hair into black baker boy hat.

"We have to fight in this, I –" She stopped herself from venting about her feelings for Marius. "You love him, don't you?"

"Marius?" Cosette's eyes filled with joy, "He's a wonderful man…" She sighed, holding a blanket to her heart and smiling. "Yes, I suppose I do…"

"Really?" Eponine faked a smile and looked down to the floors, masking her tears. Perhaps it was time to let this boy go. "Then you cannot fight."

She threw off Cosette's hat and shoved it back into a drawer.

"What- no Eponine I want to!"

"I'm not letting you!" She answered, reminding herself a bit of Enjolras. "He will kill himself if you die. He cares for you. You have a chance."

"No," Cosette shook her head, "what if he dies?"

"Then that's a chance we'll have to take." Eponine muttered miserably, letting a few tears hit the floors.

"Eponine don't cry."

"I'm sorry Cosette." She said, grabbing her hat and tucking her hair into it. She wore a bulky jacket and stood by the door quickly. "I have to fight."

"Eponine, please don't!" Cosette shook her head, beginning to cry. "Enjolras wouldn't let you!"

"I can't let them die. They're my family…"

"NO!" Cosette grabbed onto Eponine's hand but she yanked it free and shut the door behind her, coming face to face suddenly with Enjolras by the door.

"Eponine…?" He asked slowly, stifling either a laugh or raw anger.

"Don't say anything."

"You know you aren't supposed to fight. I made that very clear."

"I understand." Eponine nodded, "But I've never wanted anything more than to fight alongside my family."

Enjolras hesitated for a long moment before embracing Eponine, hoping that Marius wasn't around. He could feel her pulse race against his, only making him more nervous. He couldn't lose her during the barricade; he wouldn't be able to live with himself. Then again, he couldn't stop her from doing what she wanted the most…

"Enjolras, I-" Eponine began before feeling his lips on hers. Caught off guard and terrified of the sudden turn of events, she pushed him away and ran down the stairs quickly, finding herself standing behind the completed barricade. People from the buildings surrounding the barricade had pushed out everything from cupboards to grand piano, forming a solid wall between them and the rest of the world. Eponine smiled, feeling her first glimmer of hope in what seemed like the longest time. the distance, she made out the silhouette of a man approaching, sending a shiver of fear up her spine.

"ENJOLRAS!" She screamed running back to shelter and into him as he approached. Before he could see what Eponine had been so terrified about, Gavroche approached with the man whose hands were above his head.

"Look what I found," he snickered, "what do you want?"

Enjolras raised a gun at him and the man crouched down, still raising his hands. "I only mean to help."

Eponine felt herself shake at his voice – she knew that voice. Quickly slipping out of Enjolras' comforting grasp, she ran up the stairs to Cosette's room.

"Oh thank goodness you're safe!" Cosette hugged Eponine's shoulders, "He's here. You have to warn the others." She whispered more urgently.

"Who?"

"Javert." Cosette shuddered, "I heard my father curse his name that day in the village."

"He's a spy – isn't he?" Anger boiled over her again as she marched down the stairs to warn them. Before she could do anything about it, he had disappeared and Marius had returned once more.

"Eponine!" He yelled, grabbing Eponine's hand and facing her excitedly, "I've found him."

"Who?" Cosette asked as she made her way down the stairs as well.

"Your father," he smiled, confidently. "I know his address. Cosette, you must go back to him."

"No! I cannot leave you before the fight has even begun!"

"Cosette, I'm begging you." Marius asked, moving closer to her and kissing her forehead. "Leave for your father. You're better off safe with you family than with us."

After a few moments of contemplating her choices, Cosette nodded with tears in her eyes, exchanging a thankful glance with Eponine. As she began to leave, she a noticed a certain darkness lingering over her friends that she hadn't seen before - could she really leave in the moment they needed her most? After one final glance for assurance, she caught Eponine's gaze and watched her nod solemnly. Eponine had hoped that Marius was finally content, even though he refused to watch as Cosette walked away from the barricade, and far, far away from his life.

"Marius," Eponine sighed, "I promise you'll be together again." The thought pained her but it was more important that Marius be happy. Especially because after all this was over, they people who they had once walked miles with, laughed till they turned blue with, drank with until there was no difference between up and down with - could be no less than dust in the wind.


	6. The First Night

**Authors Note: **So I just wanted to say thank you all so much for reading this fanfiction, your reviews and support really help me keep going! Also, since the movies out, I decided I might quote some lines from there once in a while. So **DISCLAIMER!**

**Chapter 6  
The First Night**

Eponine could feel herself slowly falling asleep, fighting to keep her eyes from shutting and dreaming of better days. Enjolras and Marius were drinking away with the rest of the boys, trying to forget that they may lose everything they'd ever known. They were both also slightly hostile towards Eponine, confused at why she had been giving them so many mixed signals throughout the days. But emotion would just have to wait, for as the night grew longer, the society began to fear what was taking place all over Paris. Had the other barricade's fallen?

"Oi!" Gavroche yelled suddenly, pointing to a guard marching slowly towards their barricade.

At Enjolras' command, they all armed themselves and pointed there weapons at him.

Staggering slightly but holding his ground, the guard began to speak, "Who's there?"

Enjolras closed his eyes and put on a look of determination, "French revolution!"

The guard snickered smugly, "I have come to warn you. We will not spare your lives. Either you fall back and surrender, or die."

In the misty streets, the students could make out another few faces in the dark, recognizing them as guards as well.

"We'd rather die doing what's right." Enjolras spit, followed by nods of agreement. The guard soon disappeared into the night leaving everybody breathless.

"Enjolras!" Eponine screamed again, recognizing Javert approaching from the distance, fearing that another set of guards were approaching.

"I have seen the enemy's side. I will say all that I can." Javert said confidently as he made his way up to the barricade.

"All right, all right," Gavroche laughed, shaking his head, "are you dense?" He muttered, whistling for Enjolras and hoping he had caught on. Enjolras cupped Javert's neck and slammed him against the brick wall, spitting in his face.

"He's a spy!" Gavroche reported laughing, but before the society could take a sigh of relief, Javert began to fight back.

Throwing Enjolras to the floor and kicking Gavroche till he fell to the floor, he began to make his way to the others before Marius got up and punched him in the face. Sending him on top of Enjolras, who choked him from behind and bashed the side of his head twice forcibly with a leg from a broken chair nearby, Javert surrendered and was dragged combatively into another room by him. Without another word, a stunned Javert soon found his neck in a noose.

"They're going to attack." Enjolras sighed sadly, realizing Eponine was already keeping a look out.

Climbing the barricade to stand next to her, he grabbed her by the waist and helped her down.

"I'm scared." She whispered nervously, holding on tightly to his trembling hand.

Enjolras embraced her and kissed the top of her head tenderly, hoping that he could be comforting to her.

"Enjolras and Eponine?" Grantaire slurred excitedly, "My, my, what a sight for sore eyes! What happened to dear old Patria?"

Enjolras laughed, slightly offended, "I've found something better."

"And what about defending Patria?" Marius said suddenly, turning everybody's heads to face him. "Enjolras, the time to fight is nearing."

"I'll bet you anything we're safe for now." Eponine differed, trying to keep her hopes high.

She mounted the barricade, turning to tell the others there was no enemy approaching, but she seemed to have swallowed her words.

"What is it?" Marius asked, climbing beside her as Enjolras looked above.

"ENEMY ABOVE!" He shouted as everybody loaded their weapons hectically.

Gun shots showered above them as they searched desperately for cover. The moments seem to edge on and on as anxiety built and les amis began to pray that they would come out of attack alive.

At last, a final gun shot sounded as Marius fired a sniper at the guard and ensured that he had fallen. He could feel his heart race and race so rapidly that his breath shortened as he began to tremble. He had never imagined he'd be the first to shoot...

_He had just taken another life_. A life which could have had a family, which could have had friends, which could have been getting married or expecting a child… What had he done? Had any of his friends died?

Marius began to count heads, watching the rest of les amis began to compose themselves and take in the events that had happened so quickly and without warning.

Suddenly, the scent and sight of blood plastered against the streets caught his attention as he began to look around frantically for the source.

Tears rushed to his swollen eyes as he ran up to the battered body that was being cradled by Eponine, Grantaire, and Gavroche.

"Enjolras," he began, realizing his body had completely gone limp!


	7. A Miracle

**Chapter Seven**  
**A Miracle  
**

Blinded by his tears, Jean Valjean stood in awe before his daughter, who had miraculously in the dead of night, returned.

"Papa," she began, swallowing her words in fear that he hadn't forgiven her.

"Cosette." He embraced her quickly and held her close, cherishing the moment, "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Oh," Cosette choked on her tears and stood back to face her father, "forgive me, please. I never meant to make such a mess papa."

"No, you are not the one who needs to be forgiven. I only wish there was more a life with me could offer you. I know how hard it can be with just me… you have not committed any crime."

Before Cosette could thank her father and rejoice, she remembered her friends, close to death back at the barricade. She had left them so abruptly, so selfishly – how could she bear to be happy while they all suffered?

"I need to go back."

"What?"

"We need to go back papa, they'll be dead if we don't hurry."

"No! Cosette, you cannot leave."

"Please!" She begged, falling to her knees, "I've done you wrong, I know, but we MUST go back tonight. They will die without us."

She felt her breath shorten as she began to picture Marius, battered and broken, lying on the plane of blood that would soon become the barricade.

Jean stared at Cosette for a brief moment, perplexed and torn between her safety and her desires. Was he to lose her, or further upset her?

"Come," Jean Valjean said, "we must hurry if we're to help at all."

_

Enjolras was beginning to feel hazy, as if he were in a world much different than his own. Faces danced above him to the sound of screams, tears streaming down his face.

"Stay with me," Eponine begged, stroking his cheek as she stifled tears grievously.

Marius continued to watch over the scene, having kept Eponine from going into a fit earlier, and trying to keep his own agony from showing. They were already in a big enough mess without everybody panicking.

Blood had stained every part of Enjolras' body, leaving everybody clueless about where he had been shot and how much longer they had with him.

"Marius," Enjolras coughed, spitting up blood.

"Yes, yes," Marius grabbed Enjolras' head and looked him in the eyes, "what's wrong?"

"I – I'm sorry for everything I've done." He sighed and looked away, "None of you would have been here if it weren't for me."

"I beg to differ!" Gavroche spoke up, wiping away a tear, "We'll fight for what's right! Ain't that right boys?"

Les amis cheered sadly, all trying to look happier for Enjolras' sake – especially Grantaire, who looked as though he might pass out. Their voices were drained, their expressions hopeless. Enjolras, the man who had been determined to save his beloved Patria, who had put every aspect of his own life second to France - was close to death. What chance did they have?

"EPONINE!" A voice called out suddenly.

Everyone turned hesitantly as they saw Cosette and Jean Valjean making their way frantically to the scene.

"Cosette?" Marius whispered, shocked at her return.

He embraced her quickly, afraid that she would scream at the sight of Enjolras and attract attention. She moved away from him and began to explain.

"I was worried about you all –" she cut herself off as she witnessed Enjolras lying in his own blood, struggling to breathe.

Cosette ran to him, trying to keep herself from breaking down, "I shouldn't have left. This isn't fair."

"No," Eponine coughed, "if I hadn't been so stupid he wouldn't have had to save me."

"Where's his wound?" Jean asked from behind, taking off his vest and pushing his sleeves up.

"I – I don't know." Eponine stuttered, trying to calm herself down.

"Stay with us son," he said quietly as he snapped into each of Enjolras' ears.

"I can't," Enjolras breathed in deeply.

"Where does it hurt?"

Enjolras touched his shoulder and spit up more blood, terrifying Cosette.

"He can make it," Jean whispered, carrying him into the café and sprawling him out over the table.

"Cosette, go get a knife, some needle and some thread."

"I'll show you where it is," Marius said, guiding her quickly to the back of the shop.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Eponine asked, watching sadly as Enjolras muttered useless words to himself.

"I hope so." Jean replied solemnly, trying to keep Enjolras awake as long as possible.

"Me too." Eponine sighed, as Cosette returned with a few materials.

"Wait!" Gavroche cried, "_You're_gonna cut him open!?"

"We have to get the bullet out," Marius reassured him, watching Jean tear Enjolras' shirt open and examine the wound.

"I see the bullet…" Jean reassured, taking some water from Gavroche and washing the blood away.

"I can't watch!" Cosette exclaimed uneasily, taking Eponine's hand and leaving the cafe.

The air outside was cold and bitter, strongly smelling of gun powder, acrid and overpowering.

"I'm so frightened…" Eponine whispered, trembling and sitting against the slightly slanted brick walls of Musain.

"You?" Cosette asked, shaking her head. "How could you be scared?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're so brave all the time… That must've been why Marius likes you so much."

"What?" Eponine laughed, "He was never mine, I was too blind to notice how much he cared for me before… Now he doesn't." She sighed once more, feeling completely discarded, "Don't leave again. He was miserable without you."

"Me?" Cosette laughed, "I was the most useless person here Eponine. You cannot pretend otherwise…"

"I'm not." Eponine shook her head, "I-"

"ENJOLRAS!" Gavroche screamed desperately, interrupting her.

"Come!" Eponine screamed, rushing to see what had become of him.

"What happened?" Cosette asked, sharing a worried glance with her father.

"He- He stopped breathing!" Grantaire replied, trembling violently and turning to throw up behind them.

"Enjolras…" Eponine sank to her knees and began to feel the world around her turn and turn until everything had become black.

"Eponine!?" Marius called, grabbing her hand and shaking her until the world began to move into place, pieces of the room falling back together like a puzzle.

Angrily, she grabbed Grantaire's bottle and poured the rest of the beer over Enjolras' head, watching him suddenly sit up and gasp for air, staggering slightly on his bad arm and falling back down on the table.

"ENJOLRAS!" She exclaimed, grabbing his face and kissing it until the rest of the room had interrupted and joined in the embrace.

Marius watched bitterly from behind, thankful beyond belief for the life of his dear friend, but trying hard to accept the fact that Eponine was no longer his and he could not keep pretending.

Perhaps this was the sign he had been waiting for. Perhaps it was time to realize who truley loved him and who he had to let go. He glanced quickly at Cosette, watching her smile at him tenderly and move away from her father - the man that had saved Enjolras...

"Monsieur, I don't know how to thank you." Marius exclaimed, handing some beer to Jean and watching a look of satisfaction crawl onto his face.

"I need no thanks," he replied, watching his daughter rejoice with Eponine, "just, be safe son, we don't need more lives lost."

"But monsieur –"

"It is –" he stopped himself suddenly as a familiar face made eye contact with him from the distance. "Javert…" Jean whispered, completely bewildered.

Running to the back of the cafe with Marius behind him, he quickly came to realize his old foe had been in the café the whole time.

"Monsieur, you know of this filth?" Marius asked of Cosette's father, giving Javert a dirty look.

"Indeed I do," he replied, a glimpse of hate shining in his tired eyes. "May I dispose of him?"

"Anything!" Marius nodded, and head back to the kitchen, leaving Jean and Javert alone.

"We meet again," Javert scoffed, "filth like you seem to always find a way back."

Jean moved closer to him, taking out the knife Cosette had retrieved earlier.

"Go on, kill me. You've waited long enough for this moment – enjoy it."

In one swift motion, Jean cut the noose and freed Javert, leaving him shocked and stunned.

"These silly games are no longer for us to play; there are bigger things than us in this world. It is time to let go of the past – do you understand?"

He watched as Javert took a few deep breaths and composed himself, "I doubt our paths will ever cross again."

As Javert began to run, Jean shot his gun at the door, barely missing Javert and sending him running far, far away.

Finally, it seemed as though a piece of him had been freed. He sank to his knees for a brief moment before walking into the café, to pray that this would be the last encounter he would ever have with Javert.


	8. Eponine and Valjean's Decisions

**Chapter Eight  
Eponine and Valjean's Decisions**

The night had begun in the worst, and best, way possible. Enjolras was alive, but the possibility of another attack shook les amis' very thoughts and kept them awake.

Enjolras had never been so thankful to somebody in his entire lifetime. Valjean, the man he owed his life to, was now sitting quietly on a broken cabinet near the back of the barricade, pondering over the day's events and sending out a prayer for each young boy and girl at the barricade. Where had he come from, and why?

Soon, Enjolras saw Cosette and realized that she had brought him here to help them and ultimately, had saved his life. She was still something to be marvelled at, but Enjolras no longer felt anything for Cosette, especially now that she knew how much Marius had grown on her. He watched quietly as they held hands and spoke softly to each other in the darkness outside, accompanied by Gavroche, Combferre, Courfeyrac, and Grantaire.

"Enjolras," Eponine whispered, making her way over to him, "how're you feeling?"

"Lousy," he began, "if somebody attacks – I'm useless."

"Better useless than dead… don't torture yourself, it's not your fault you got shot."

"But it will be if anybody else does." He sighed and looked up into her eyes, smiling. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She kissed his head and watched him turn red, "I'm just happy you're safe."

She turned to walk back outside, joining the small circle some of the barricade boys and Cosette had formed.

"'Ponine!" Gavroche exclaimed, taking a seat next to her.

Marius smiled in her direction but avoided eye contact, hurting Eponine deeply. What had she done now? Why was he being so hostile towards her?

"Marius, may I speak with you?" She asked, making her way up to him.

"Why?"

"Marius…" She repeated through clenched teeth. Without hesitation, Marius began to follow Eponine to a vacant room.

"What is it?"

"Why are you so upset?"

"I-" he stopped, completely caught off guard.

What was he to tell Eponine? That he was in love with Cosette but hated seeing her with Enjolras. Even though he was a great man, dedicated and passionate about everything he did, he seemed too different from Eponine to make her happy. She loved to tease, and laugh, and help in any way that she could… Enjolras simply worked to free France. Simple as that.

"Eponine, you cannot carry on this way with Enjolras."

"And why not?" She raised her voice, "Marius I'm sorry if this hurts you but I thought you loved Cosette –"

"I do!" Marius pushed her back and caught the attention of Jean Valjean through a broken window nearby.

Was he speaking of his daughter? _Cosette had fallen in love?_

"Marius, where are you going with this?"

"Eponine, I'm just trying to help you!" Marius sighed, "Cosette loves me the same way I love her, but Enjolras – I'm worried he'll hurt you the moment he's back on his feet."

Valjean threw his head back and looked above, panting and praying that what he heard was not true. A young man, the very young man he had spoken to before – in love with _his _Cosette? And she had returned his love?

"But he hasn't!" Eponine differed. "Marius, please, I know what I'm doing."

"Fine!" Marius threw his hands up and walked away bitterly, leaving Eponine standing in the once again vacant room.

Cosette had spent the majority of the time away from Eponine and once Marius had left with her, she began to talk more and more with Gavroche.

"Ya seem real nice, ya know?" He smiled, playing with her hair.

"Alright, alright," Courfeyrac interrupted, picking Gavroche up and placing him on the opposite end of the circle.

Cosette laughed, "What're you doing here anyways?"

"Fightin'." Gavroche shot her a toothy grin and she giggled.

"Where are your parents?"

"They're pretty stupid… I'm betta' off here."

"Who are they?"

"Monsieur and Madame Thenardier." Gavroche answered quietly, shaking his head.

Cosette nearly choked, "Oh my gosh..."

"You know 'dem?"

"They raised me…" She mumbled bitterly, looking back to see if she could find Eponine.

"No way!" Gavroche moved to sit next to Cosette, "So you and 'Ponine are like sisters?"

"I guess."

"So you're my sister too?"

"Sure." Cosette laughed and pat his head, "You're very lucky to have Eponine here with you."

Gavroche nodded quietly and realized how long Eponine had been gone. Slowly, he left the group and went to go find his sister.

"'Ponine!?" He called, "'Ponine!?"

"Shh." Eponine muttered from the room, sitting on a small table in the corner.

"I should'a known you'd be all alone."

"Very funny." She sighed, "Why the sudden interest to come and find me?"

"Well," Gavroche took a seat next to her, "we might die – so I thought I'd come talk to ya."

"Thanks." Eponine smiled sadly, putting her arm around her brother.

"Are you going to marry Enjolras?" He asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

"What?!" Eponine laughed, "I don't think so..."

"But you love him."

"I do…" Eponine sighed awkwardly, "besides, I doubt he'd ever ask."

"Maybe he will." Gavroche smiled, "He's never been so nice to anybody… 'Specially a girl."

Eponine chuckled, "Thanks 'Roche." She messed up his hair and he ran off.

"Eponine!" Enjolras called from the room he was resting in. "Eponine, I have to talk to you!"

Although she heard him, she refused to answer – terrified that Marius was right about the way he thought of her. Marius had been the one to acknowledge her every day while she blatantly ignored him, never Enjolras. He only warmed up to her after she almost got attacked by her father. Marius had cared for her since she had ever come to the café, never Enjolras. She had just sat back and admired his determination from afar… Maybe he _was _being delusional. Maybe he really _didn't_ care about Eponine, and once everything was over would go back to obsessing over Patria. _Patria is his mistress_, Eponine thought, _not you. _Eponine shook away her thoughts and walked outside, leaving Enjolras behind her.

Valjean still stood by the door, mesmerized by the all the conversations he had overheard. There was so much love and hope in the barricade, and all of it was about to go up in flames. A battle could arise at any time, and all these people, with hopes and dreams and aspirations could be dead. Gone without another say in the world. He had to talk them out of it.

"Cosette!" He called urgently, watching his daughter run to him from the distance, Marius at her heels.

"Papa?"

"Marius, Cosette –" He stopped himself from bringing up their romance, "you cannot stay here."

"What?" Marius asked, sharing a glance with Cosette. "Monsieur, I understand your worries but we've gone too far."

"Please," he took a deep breath, "you will lose your lives."

Cosette covered her mouth and shook her head, "Let's ask everybody."

Marius nodded and made his way back to where most of les amis rested, "Listen up!"

"What is it Marius?" Grantaire asked.

"Let us not waste lives, all those who wish to leave, can."

A silence rang over the barricade – not a single sound was made, not a single person had left. Cosette looked back at her father and shrugged, making Valjean realize that this was all that the children held close to them. If it were up to him, he would save each and every one – but they wouldn't let him. He had to accept that very soon, the death of each and every student was possible.

But what about his Cosette? Was her new lover to die? And at his age, he would be gone soon – who would look after Cosette?  
He watched silently as Marius and Cosette embraced near the fire that had been started near the café and nodded. It was time to let Cosette go.


	9. The First Death

**Chapter Nine  
The First Death**

As the sun rose slowly over the misty horizon, Valjean woke as well.

He woke to the sight of his daughter sleeping silently in Marius' arms, with Gavroche lying between them both, his chest rising and falling slowly. Eponine laid her arm across Gavroche's back protectively, sleeping almost sadly, away from Enjolras, who was still alone in the room where he had been operated on.

Jean quickly looked away, still shaken from the thought of losing any of these children in the upcoming battle.

Eponine was the first to wake of the children, having had a nightmare and, after making sure everybody was alright and the coast was clear, went to see how Enjolras was doing.

What did he want to ask of her the previous night? Why had she ignored him…?

After all, it was Enjolras who did everything in his power to keep her from fighting, only to take a bullet to the shoulder that should have killed her instead of injuring him. If only she had thought this way the previous night…

His wound was still visible, covered with dry blood and the thin black thread that Valjean had used to bind his skin. Sweat covered his brow and his tired eyes were red and swollen, reasons unknown to Eponine.

He breathed quickly, as if he was in a panic, although it was no surprise since he had been awake most the night fearing for the sake of the barricade and les amis.

"Who – Who's there?" He stuttered as he sat up, panting.

Eponine almost screamed and backed up against the wall, sharing an awkward glance with him after finally realizing that there was no danger. What had come over him?

"What's on Earth is the matter with you?" She sighed, placing her hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

"Eponine," he sighed, resting his head against her shoulder, "is everyone alright?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry so much, you're making youself ill..." She stroked his cheek and looked him in the eye worriedly, "You went to sleep later than me, you know. What were you thinking about?"

"I," he took a deep breath, "I'm terrified that something bad is going to happen. I mean, I already know it is..."

"Why on Earth would you say that?" Eponine knew exactly what he was talking about though.

Ever since he had been injured and Cosette had arrived so spontaneously, he had taken that as a sign for bad luck.

If somebody as gentle and innocent as Cosette could be stuck in the barricade, a place of rebellion and freedom, a place on the brink of war – what did he know anymore? When Marius didn't even have the satisfaction of knowing that he would still have Cosette after the battle, whether or not _he_was still alive, then what satisfaction did Enjolras have of knowing he would still have Eponine? His injury had made him realize that they weren't made of stone. They were humans, capable of emotions and love and hate…

However, he was also very stubborn. How could he ever let his Patria fall apart as he lay on a table, falling in love and daydreaming of better days? How could he get to a better time if he did nothing to get there while he could?

"Never mind what I say." Enjolras smiled nonchalantly, "Is everyone awake?"

"I don't know, I came to check on you first." Eponine looked back and realized Gavroche was already up with Cosette and Marius telling the others to wake.

Cosette had decided to make herself useful in any way she could, but being at the barricade had only allowed her to realize one thing - s_he had nothing_. Sure, she had a loving father and Marius to care for her after he was gone but, nothing else. She knew how hard her mother worked to keep her a_live - _what had she done to repay her?

Finally, she moved towards Valjean, smiling at him and kissing his forehead after she realized that he had been awake for a while now.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked .

"Very well." He laughed heartily, "Did you?"

Cosette nodded, "Gavroche really warmed up to me last night."

"The little boy?"

"Yes." She looked back at him fondly, "I'm so happy to know that I can make a little boy smile while I'm here – it makes me feel like I'm doing something right. Like I'm useful."

"Anything that makes you happy is worth doing Cosette." He stroked her face, "I wish I had told you that earlier."

"Thank you, Papa." She embraced him once more before moving to wake everybody else.

Marius turned suddenly and made his way to Enjolras, a look of worry and triumph on his face.

"Marius, I need you to tell the others that we've run out of ammo." He declared quickly as he slowly straightened his posture and stood on his feet, hanging onto Eponine for support. "Everything is wet from the rain."

"Enjolras," he sighed, looking him in the eye, "we're the last barricade left."

"What?"

"We're the only ones left." He shook his head in awe, "I'll get some ammo off of the corpses out front."

"I'll get it!" Gavroche answered from afar, running closer to the barricade excitedly.

Marius looked away suddenly, "Gavroche?"

"Gavroche!" Eponine yelled worriedly, moving towards him as he whistled merrily and climbed over the battered chairs and tables, his feet slipping off some piano keys as he worked his way to the top.

"Get down, it's not safe!" Courfeyrac added, marching after him frantically.

Cosette was drawn to the scene when Courfeyrac and Eponine began to yell for him to get down to a point where they were shaking, Marius holding them both back. Too much panic would cause too much attention, an attack was already brewing and there was no need to shorten the time before the guards would arrive.

"Gavroche, I swear if you don't come down I will kill you _myself_!" Eponine whispered through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, yeah – I've already got –" He stopped when a gunshot sounded, freezing him in his tracks. Cosette had then realized that there was an opening on the side of the barricade, leading her straight to Gavroche.

"Oi! Come back already?" Gavroche snickered at the source of the bullets, grabbing more ammo and crawling into sight.

Eponine began to climb the barricade too, making Enjolras limp over to the scene as well, .

"GAVROCHE!" She screamed as another gunshot sounded, barely missing his head and hitting a table's leg beside it.

"Betta' not risk your luck boys!" He called out, "We may be the only ones left, but just watch how hard we'll bi-" Another gunshot sounded – this time, it had hit somebody.

"COSETTE!" Gavroche screamed, cradling her limp body as it fell to the floor.

Eponine could feel herself falling apart again, Marius as well, as they scrambled over the barricade to see what had become of Cosette.

"I didn't mean to!" Gavroche cried, tears streaming down his dirty cheeks.

Cosette just smiled strangely, staring into Marius' eyes as his filled with bitter tears as well. _He_should have died – not Cosette.

"Where's the – the –" Eponine mumbled, searching for the right words to say.

Cosette raised her hand to reveal a rather large red stain on her pastel dress, slowly expanding. Marius carried her into an alleyway behind the café quickly, as the guards approached Musain.

"Why on Earth would you do that Cosette?" Marius yelled, mesmerized by the wound as the blood spilled out, "WHY?"

"Don't fret, Monsieur Marius…" Cosette smiled, "I'm alright now. I promise."

"No, no, no you can't just –" Gavroche held back his tongue when Eponine shot him a look. She did not shed any tears, afraid that it would only upset the ailing Cosette.

"I just wanted to make everybody happy." She gasped.

"We are, Cosette. You've always made us happy. You were an angel." Eponine sighed, stifling her tears.

"You _are _an angel." Marius added, kissing her tenderly.

"When I die," she began, "tell my father that, it was the only way I would ever be truly happy. Tell him," she stopped to take a few quick breaths, "that I'll see him in heaven, and that he was the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. That I love him."

Eponine nodded quickly, "I promise."

"Marius, Eponine, Gavroche" she looked at them all kindly, grabbing Eponine and Gavroche's hands as Marius cradled her, "thank you for changing me in the best way possible. I wish you all the best. Tell everybody, that no matter what, they have a place with me in heaven…"

And with those words, the light faded from Cosette's tired eyes and she died.

Marius screamed and Eponine threw herself over the body, shaking and trembling from crying.

Gavroche ran to the barricade quickly, masking his tears, to warn the others.

Before he could say anything, the guards had approached, warning that they did not have any chance, and that if they were wise, they would back out now before losing any more young lives.

"No!" Gavroche yelled. "We can't back out! We WON'T back out!" He shot a quick glance over to Cosette, wiping away the tears that kept rolling down his face.

"Gavroche is right," Enjolras exclaimed, followed by the nods of les amis.

"Then bring out the canons." The guard replied calmly afterwards, sending everybody searching frantically for their weapons and getting ready to fire. At Enjolras' signal – the fight would begin.

Cosette and Fantine now looked down at the unfolding battle with heartbreaking sadness, aware that they two, at least, had found peace.

**Authors Note: **Don't hate meee :S I had to put some 'miserableness' in it...


	10. The War

**Chapter 10  
The War**

Enjolras trembled, full of grief, and completely perplexed at what had suddenly happened to Eponine, Marius, Gavroche and Cosette.

As the cannons were set into place, they began acting like barriers against the cold wind that was slowly rolling in, the feeling of isolation slowly becoming apparent. It became even more evident the townspeople around Musain had barricaded their doors and windows, making him realize that if the barricade were to be destroyed, they had nowhere to run. Stuck like rats in their cages…

Combeferre exchanged a glance with Joly and Enjolras quickly, Joly looking as if he were about to throw up and Enjolras taking a few deep breaths. All the rest, Courfeyrac, Grantaire, Feuilly, Jean Prouvaire, Bahorel, and Legles, began to pray silently to make it out of the battle alive and well.

Before the enemy could begin their attack, Enjolras had gathered all of his much needed courage, and yelled:  
"FIRE!"

Soon, the barricade had transformed itself into a horrendous battle field. Four of the guards had died, thanks to Courfeyrac, Combeferre, and Enjolras. That was more than Enjolras had anticipated, but a few of les amis were severely injured after the guards had brutally fought back, and the barricade had been penetrated. Jean Valjean immediately began to care for them, lifting them gently and frantically placing them in different areas inside Musain to heal. All he could think of was where his Cosette was, and that if she was alright.

"EPONINE!" Enjolras called out suddenly, rattled by the sudden realization that she still hadn't returned.

He quickly dropped to the floor and began to crawl towards the alleyway behind Musain, hoping to blend out of sight in the chaos around him. Suddenly, she caught his eye. Marius was cradling Eponine as they wept into each other's arms, Cosette lying beneath them. What had happened to her? Her beautiful blonde hair was sprawled out and tainted with blood and dirt, her sapphire eyes shut, her body completely limp.

"What happened!?" He cried suddenly, getting on his feet and running frantically to the three.

"Enjolras!" Eponine grabbed his hand quickly as he kneeled beside them, terrified at the thought of what had happened to Cosette. _Was she - dead?  
_  
"She saved Gavroche…" Marius began, his eyes tired and red from crying. He did not look at her body now, refusing to admit that she was gone.

"I'm so sorry," Enjolras nodded, refusing to cry himself. His first love besides Patria, or so he had thought, was never to return. She had left in the most selfless way possible, saving the life of a child – she truly was an angel. If Enjolras, Marius, and Eponine knew her at all, they would know that she was completely satisfied with what she had done up in heaven.

Their thoughts were shaken suddenly by the sound of another cannonade, brutally breaking through the barricade, as they covered their heads and crouched down lower, screaming, digging their nails into the ground.

As soon as she sensed it was over, Eponine was the first to crack out of her sadness, grabbing Marius' gun out of his hand violently and frantically running to the barricade, instantly killing the guard who had shot the canon. The only feeling that lingered in her heart was raw anger.

Enjolras had quickly caught up with her, trying to drag her back to safety – _but she kept fighting._ Eponine alone had killed three people so far, and she continued to prime and reload her gun, aiming at any and every guard in her path. When Enjolras turned to summon Marius for help, he was gone.

"EPONINE!" He screamed, suddenly crouching as a bullet flew quickly over his head, piercing the wall behind them, "Marius is gone!" He cried, hoping to catch her attention somehow.

There were now only six guards left at this point. Suddenly, Marius appeared in the distance, his silhouette slouching, dragging his feet across the blood tainted floors in front of Musain. Staggering over the battered furniture, Marius stood motionless and completely out of character on the top of the barricade. What was he doing?

"MARIUS!" Enjolras shouted, before a guard could shoot him – but his warning came too late. A guard had spotted Marius, standing vulnerably in plain sight, and was preparing himself too shoot.

"Marius…" Eponine murmured as she finished shooting another guard who was ready to load the canons. Moving as quickly as she could, she ran towards him, falling quickly once and scraping her knees gruesomely.

Marius shut his eyes, anticipating the bullet he would soon take.

With Eponine in love with Enjolras, his grandfather loathing his existence and all he fought for, and Cosette gone forever – what did he have to live for? He should have done this earlier – save himself the pain that kept coming ruthlessly. He had heard the bullet sounding as it was shot, hurling towards him at top speed – but the pain did not come and his body did not take on any impact. Instead, he heard a blood curdling scream, piercing through the air, catching attention.

He opened his eyes, astonished to find Eponine standing with her right arm extended out before her, blood covering her arm and tears filling her wide eyes.

"EPONINE!" Enjolras screamed as Marius began to take in the events that had happened too quickly, sinking to the ground.

Quickly catching the attention of Valjean, Eponine was soon carried frantically and extremely carefully into Musain, where Joly, Jean Prouvaire, and Legles lay.

"What happened?" Valjean asked calmly, trying not to upset the children any further.

"I – I jumped in the way to save Marius." Eponine stuttered as Enjolras held onto her good hand gently.

"Did it hit your body?"

"Only went through my hand…" She smiled painfully, trying extremely hard to stifle her tears.

Without any thought, without so much as a word, she had jumped in the way to save Marius. Before, she would have assumed that they were all to die anyways, and that her life was worth no more or no less than any other at the barricade. They would all be gone soon. Now, she could see a light shining through the bleak darkness that have overtaken the barricade and all their hopes and dreams. She was still alive, so were many of the others, but the guards were dropping like flies. Perhaps, if they prayed hard enough, they would win this war.

"Marius, what were you thinking?" Valjean scorned, cleaning Eponine's wounds and realizing that it could not be bound and that she needed a hospital urgently.

The flaps of her skin flung open and her bones were ripped apart, leaving a gaping hole in the centre of her hand. Enjolras quickly shot Marius a warning glance and watched as he kept his mouth shut, apologizing but not mentioning a word of the truth. When would it be time to tell Cosette's father that she had passed?

"Enjolras, watch over her." Jean commanded, knowing that his injuries were also hindering his abilities to fight. He grabbed Enjolras' gun, moving outside to fight.

"Monsieur," Marius exclaimed suddenly, "be careful."

He nodded and moved outside, the sudden smell or acrid smoke burning his throat.

The scene looked worse than he could have imagined, blood splattered against walls and faces, the barricade was broken and battered, splinters flying across the ground, and the corpses of fourteen guards lay on the stone streets in front of Musain and the barricade_. Not a single member of the barricade had died – not one, _Valjean thought, as he shot his gun to kill the fourth guards, leaving three behind. He could not see them now, and after sharing a quick glance with Combeferre and Courfeyrac – decided to head into the café, just in case they would attack on the inside. The sudden moment of silence had left the remaining members of les amis to ponder over the sudden moment, fighting bitter tears away.

In the café, Enjolras gripped Eponine's good hand tightly, trying to keep her awake. The sudden silence terrified him, and he took it as a cue to hide his injured friends.

After hiding most of them in a few closets nearby, most of them with their doors only keeping shut with a few rusty hinges, he squeezed himself in quickly with Eponine. The blood kept pouring out of her hand, and she was beginning to feel extremely lightheaded, holding onto Enjolras with dear life.

"You didn't have to come in here; I know it's disgusting…" She muttered, staring at her hand in absolute awe.

"I kept a promise to that man, and to you." He looked into her eyes in the darkness and smiled, "I love you." He sighed awkwardly, hoping to get his feelings out in case they wouldn't make it out alive.

"I love you too." She kissed his lips, and yelped in pain suddenly as the pain in her hand began to worsen.

Enjolras quickly covered her mouth and prayed silently that the guards had not heard. There was no sound however, not a breath or sigh other than their own.

"Stay still. Be quite." He told Eponine as he grabbed her gun and levered himself out of the closet and into the café.

Heavy footsteps were audible from his position, and he realized that somebody was upstairs as the dust fell from above him. He quickly ran to the top floor, not making any sound, and listened to the scene unfold. From what he could tell, Valjean was alone with a guard ready to shoot, his gun empty, his eyes tired. He had given up.

Enjolras aimed at the guard and shot his gun, but he had run out of ammo.

Looking around for a sign, a single glimpse of hope, he found himself staring helplessly at Cosette's father as he struggled to admit that it might be the end of his life. His solemn eyes kept looking above, as if for some prayer to help him survive.

A hand suddenly found Enjolras' shoulder and he turned ready to attack when he realized it was Marius, his hair matted with blood that had spread to his tired face. He handed Enjolras an opaque white gun, with silver embellishments – obviously belonging to one of the guards.

Without a second thought, Enjolras primed and reloaded the gun, shooting it angrily at the guards head. It missed, only catching the guard's attention.

As he moved furiously towards the two, who were on the verge of tears and anxiety, he dropped to the floor, a pair of scissors in his back. As he fell, Valjean leaned against the wall in relief, and Gavroche was revealed behind the guard, his right arm still extended and trembling from the idea of what he had just done. He shook the thought free and looked at Enjolras with a certain maturity that he had never seen before. The boy had suddenly aged ten years.

"She saved my life. I save his." He mentioned calmly, looking back at Cosette's father as he nodded thankfully at the boy.

However, the words he had uttered confused Valjean, and he looked at Marius for an answer. "Who saved his life?" He asked, "What does it have to do with me?"

Marius looked away bitterly, shedding a tear as Enjolras bit his tongue, looking ahead without any acknowledgement to the situation, too stunned by the events that had taken place.

"ENJOLRAS!" Grantaire yelled from downstairs, his voice drained of all energy and emotion, accompanied by the voices of the others in union.

"They're all dead." He muttered, suddenly bringing both Marius and Enjolras back to Earth. _They had won the war._


	11. Life After Battle

**Chapter Eleven  
Life After Battle**

Enjolras could not begin to describe what Patria had once meant to him.

It had kept him awake at night, he fantasized about all the possibilities he could have brought the people of France, who were now wallowing in sickness and poverty. He had brought all of his friends, his school mates, into a battle – for what?

Staring at their faces, he could only tell one thing for certain, and that was that they had been completely transformed. Not in any positive way, they were scared, vulnerable, scarred by the events that they had never anticipated. Put simply, death would have been a more desirable fate than this. They did not know what to do with themselves, still overflowing with fear and anxiety, as if a cannon were to be fired at any moment.

Slowly moving past the crowd of his friends, who were leaning onto railings and each other for support as they composed themselves, he ran to see how Eponine, Legles, Jean Prouvaire and Joly were doing, and to let them know that their efforts had not gone to waste.

"WHO'S THERE!?" Jean Prouvaire and Legles screamed suddenly as his footsteps approached their closet, closer and closer.

Enjolras threw open the closet doors veraciously and stared at them, tears rushing to his frightened eyes, "It's over." He sighed, helping his distraught friends out of their hiding places.

Jean Prouvaire, who was completely overwhelmed with happiness, began to tell Enjolras how Joly cared for them till he came, but they might as well have been staring at a different person. They had never seen Enjolras in such a light. He had been strange enough during his sudden romance with Eponine – but now he looked as though he were just a young boy. He seemed so terrified, his innocence had completely reappeared. Then again, so had theirs…

"Eponine?" He called, moving towards her closet slowly – trying to avoid a frightening reality.

She could have been dead just as easily as she could have stayed alive. Her wounds were brutally deep; he didn't doubt the possibility of her passing just from the sheer pain of it. Enjolras shut his eyes quickly, as the searing pain in his shoulder returned at the mere thought of guns and injuries.

He flung open the doors to find Eponine breathing quietly, quickly, her chest rising and falling to the beat of his racing heart.

"Eponine," he whispered, grabbing her blood stained shoulders, kissing her dirty cheeks, "it's over Eponine."

A smile appeared on her face before her throbbing hand had distorted it, making Enjolras catch her as she fell.

"Help! Help!" He called out, watching Marius run down the stairs frantically, taking Eponine from Enjolras as soon as he realized that they both needed to be taken to a hospital immediately.

In fact, everybody did. Besides Jean Prouvaire, who had broken his arm, Legles, who had suffered a major concussion, and Joly whose ear had been punctured and torn – the rest suffered bruises, cuts and burns, and worst of all, emotional scarring.

"Call the hospital!" Marius ordered, "They must be cared for immediately." He said staring at Eponine, watching as her chest fell and rose slowly.

He had hoped she would have forgiven him as easily as she had forgiven Enjolras. He could not bear the fact that she had injured herself so greatly for his idiotic actions. She shouldn't have done anything. She should have watched alongside Enjolras as the bullet penetrated _him_, not her hand.

"Thank you." Enjolras said to him, as he stroked Eponine's face, trying to keep her alive.

Marius could never tell him how it hurt him to watch the only love he had left, love someone else. It was as if he were alone no matter how many people surrounded him, no matter how many people came and left in his life, there was always going to be an emptiness in his heart that could not be filled.

The horrors of the war were still fresh in his mind, but also the heartbreak of Cosette's death. How could Enjolras act as though he barely cared for her? Was he not the man who had fallen so deeply in love with a girl on street that he had talked to Eponine, who might as well have not existed, to get closer to her? If it were not for the incident with Thenardier outside that night Cosette had arrived, then Eponine and Enjolras wouldn't have fallen so deeply in love. If Eponine had disagreed to take Enjolras to find Cosette, then they wouldn't have ever even been acquainted. Eponine Thenardier would be his, Enjolras would be his politically devoted friend, and Cosette would not have had to risk her life and die in the end of it all. Oh how Marius wished he could reverse the events of the past days, but it was time to suck up his selfish thoughts and help the others.

_

Eponine had woken as though in heaven. Someone, or something, was singing a song as her eyes greeted the sun and the bright white room she was lying in. She made out Joly's face close by, as well as Grantaire's; they were both sound asleep.

She looked around frantically for Marius, then Enjolras, and finally, Cosette – but the bitter truth stung like a thousand more wounds. Cosette was gone and Marius had tried to commit suicide because of it.

Suddenly shaken by that thought, she quickly realized that her arm was in a sling, and that a strange numbness was tingling near her wrist, almost as though she could not feel it, like her hand had suddenly ceased to exist. Looking down urgently, Eponine faced a bitter truth - her hand was gone. Nothing but a stub in it's place. Tears filled her sorrowful eyes as she regretted the entire war and her existence. She would rather be dead than face this fate… What would Enjolras think of her now?

"Eponine," Marius began as he walked in and, seeing that everyone else was asleep, sat on the edge of Eponine's bed.

"Marius." Eponine nodded, blaming him silently for her loss.

"I never got to thank you," he shook his head, "how's your hand?"

She held it up silently, watching Marius as his jaw nearly fell to the floor in utter shock. He turned red suddenly and broke off eye contact with her.

"I know it's horrible." She replied calmly, looking down to mask her tears.

Her face was pale with dark circles underneath her tired eyes, she spoke in soft whispers and sighs. Marius feared for her health greatly, it pained him to see her in such a state. He wouldn't have _ever_ imagined her like this...

"No, no, Eponine –" Marius began.

"No! I know how horrible it is. I hate it. I wish –"

"What?" He muttered, "That you hadn't saved me?"

"What? No, I…" Eponine took a deep breath.

"No you're right. You shouldn't have saved me Eponine. You know why? Because I deserved to die." What was he saying? He didn't want to upset her further...

"Marius, stop this nonsense!" She exclaimed, shaking her head.

"No, I did, you can't pretend I didn't." He shook his head and began to wipe away tears, "You love him so much that you forgot about me, and that's alright. I'd rather have you here with me right now, hand or no hand, than you dead…"

"Marius! I saved your life because I loved you." Eponine sat up now, looking extremely flustered. After shedding a tear and wiping it away quickly, she began to speak. "I offered you my love, but you were so set on Cosette that you didn't want it. Then you told me to stay away from Enjolras, and I listened, because you meant so much to me Marius." She wiped away another tear, and Marius continued to regret his words, wishing he could just take them back. "I watched you that night, as you talked to Cosette, cradling her as she fell asleep, kissing her on the head when she woke. You spoke with her father, you stood by her till the_ end_ – and now you turn to me. How dare you turn to me Marius Pontmercy? I've lost my hand because I wanted you to stay in my life! And what do you do instead? Pity yourself." She spit, "Go on pitying yourself Marius! See if I care." She finished bitterly.

Before Marius could open his mouth, Enjolras had walked in urgently, his arm in a sling as well. Eponine tried to look well for his sake but began to turn an embarrassing shade of red instead.

"Marius, Eponine, I'm so glad you're all alright." He smiled at them both and patted Marius on the back heartily, "We've become heroes amongst the people in the villages. They think we've saved France!" He smiled as though everything he'd ever dreamt of had been handed to him, as though they never had to endure the horrors of battle to get to such a status, "I know we did."

"Thank god!" Eponine replied weakly, trying to show her excitement for Enjolras. She smiled then, leaning forward as he kissed her once again, leaving Marius wishing he had been somewhere else.

"Are you alright? Is your hand better?" Enjolras asked her as she began turning a darker shade of red.

"Yes." She muttered pathetically, letting Enjolras realize that her hand had been amputated.

"Eponine," he began, suddenly embracing her and catching her off guard.

"I know that it's hideous and horrible and –"

"Perfect." Enjolras mentioned, batting away her words as though they had never been uttered.

"What?"

"It's your battle scar. It tells a story."

"What pathetic story is that?"

"That you saved Marius' life, and proved that you're an even better person than I already thought." He smiled and wiped away her tears, "Don't pity yourself so much."

Marius shot Eponine a quick look, but she shook her head, changing the subject, "Where is Cosette's father?"

"I owe him my life." Enjolras added suddenly realizing how abruptly he had left him. He looked back at Marius, "You saw him last. Where did he go?"

"I, um," he turned a sickly green colour, as if he was hiding something.

"You told him didn't you?" Eponine cried suddenly, seeing through Marius' cover almost immeadiately and waking Grantaire and Joly with a jolt.

"Is that true?" Enjolras asked, moving closer to him angrily.

"Listen to me carefully," he began, "he saw the body, I tried to stop him but –"

"Marius! He's going to kill himself!" Eponine yelled, grabbing the collar of his cotton vest combatively with her good hand.

"What a way to wake up!" Grantaire exclaimed as he stopped her from beating Marius with whatever might she had left. "Would you two calm down? Talking this whole time about such petty things like –"

"Shut up!" Marius spat through his teeth, avoiding Enjolras' gaze, "You're better with the bottle." He sighed as he gave Grantaire a dirty look.

Eponine climbed out of bed quickly, limping at first but working herself into a steady stride.

"What's the matter with you?" Enjolras asked Marius, as he received a shrug from Grantaire.

"Nothing."

Before Enjolras could differ, Eponine had whistled loudly, standing by the door with an awkwardly wrapped jacket around her shoulders, already shivering from the slight wind drifting in from the door leading to the hospital's bustling hallways.

"Cosette and his father saved us all! I am going to find him before he does something stupid!" Eponine flung open the doors, letting the cold wind fly in.

"Close the door! We'll catch a cold!" Joly pathetically whimpered, shifting himself farther underneath the soft red sheets covering his body, shivering violently.

"Eponine, don't you dare leave!" Enjolras commanded, chasing after her.

"After all this, you really think she'll listen?" Marius added, running at his heels.

After making her way down the crowded hallways, trying to look as well as she could, she had realized that there was nowhere to turn. Throwing open the closest door, Eponine ran quickly to the streets, dumbstruck as to where to move next.

"What now?" She asked, looking into Enjolras' worried eyes.

"Calm down. We'll find him, I promise." He spoke softly, but he was frustrated inside.

Trying so hard to look happy for their victory had been a much more difficult task than he had anticipated. How could he ever let his friends know that his love for _Patria_ had left him terrified of every noise that was made in the night and of every guard on the street. The fear of almost everything he had barely acknowledged before the battle was tearing him apart, but how could he let it show? Cosette had died for her country, a right and just thing to do, but why hadn't any of them? Perhaps that was why Marius wanted so badly to be taken away, afraid of the guilt and fear that would soon follow the battle. He wanted to face Cosette's father, the man who had raised the young woman he had fallen so briefly in love with, but he was mortified of having to face his sadness. Terrified to look into the eyes of a man who had been robbed of his only daughter, the light in his life on the dark days that France was condemned to. With all the deeds yet to be done suddenly becoming apparent, he began to realize that there were more consequences that came with saving his Patria than he would have ever believed.

As he gathered his thoughts, Marius had quickly summoned a four seated cabriolet and was helping Eponine up onto the seat next to his. Enjolras helped himself onto the seat next to Eponine's, watching Marius look away as she laid her head on his chest, still conflicted with a large amount of pain.

"I know where he is." She sighed, suddenly telling the driver the directions. Perhaps, with enough luck, they would just be quick enough to save that man's life.


	12. Little Lives

**Chapter Twelve  
Little Lives**

Even the slightest amount of wind caused Eponine's injured arm to burn with extreme pain, as though it were being drenched in a tub of acid. It baffled her why she had even agreed to get on the cabriolet, or why she had suddenly demanded to be sent off after Cosette's father, but she now realized how important saving this man's life was to her friends, especially Enjolras. If that man had not cleaned and bound Enjolras' deep wound the night he was shot trying to save her, then he would not be here with her now. Another part of her would cease to exist.

Regardless, she had an enormous amount of hate for that man as well. It haunted her every day remembering the day he had arrived to offer Cosette a better life, letting Eponine take over all of her daily chores, condemning her to a life of servitude to her parents.

Yet, she also envied Cosette, even though she was dead, because of the relationship she had with her father. Besides being hit violently every night, being called a hussy, and wandering alone in the streets at night, hoping for an escape – Eponine had no other memories of her 'father'. It was only because of him that she had further befriended Enjolras. At least she could owe him that much.

"Are you sure he'll be home?" Marius asked, yelling at the driver to stop as he jumped out of the cab.

"He must be." Eponine sighed, letting Marius carry her out, trying to ignore the pain that kept returning in her arm.

Marius told the driver to wait for them, paying him the money he had in his vests pockets.

She watched as Enjolras knocked on the door continuously and listened for an answer. After several minutes of waiting anxiously for some sign that he was home, he kicked down the door, panting and running through the house, calling out, "Monsieur! Monsieur!"

There was no answer.

"He's not here!" Enjolras yelled back, running to face the two by the broken door.

"I don't know where else he could be!" She cried, trying to mask her tears from the pain and the worry.

"Did Cosette ever say anything to you?" Enjolras asked, pacing.

"Yes." Marius answered, suddenly refreshing his memory.

He played back the moment instantaneously in his mind, trying to cherish the moment he had spent with Cosette the night before she was killed.

_"Where are your parents anyways?" She asked, smiling, stroking his face._

_"I'd rather not talk about that," he shook his head._

_"I'm sorry."_

_"No, it's not your fault…" He sighed, trying to save the moment from fading. "I live with my grandfather, but he's not too fond of me…"_

_"Why on Earth wouldn't he be? You're wonderful."_

_"As are you." He replied awkwardly, kissing her nose as she giggled. "You're very lucky to have such a man as your father."_

_"Aren't I?" She looked back at him, grinning ear to ear. "I owe him everything. He saved me from a horrible life…"_

_"You've had a horrible life?"_

_"Don't act so surprised, I'm sure you knew." Cosette shifted to face him and sighed miserably, "I never thought you'd find me. Or love me for that matter." She looked up at Marius sadly, "Madame Thenardier made sure I never felt loved until my father showed up to take me away."_

_"So, Eponine was trapped with them instead?"_

_"If I could have stopped her misery I would have, but I couldn't. I was too young, unaware of what was happening." She confessed, shaking loose her bitter thoughts, "Besides, the way they spoiled her, I wouldn't have ever imagined my duties would be passed to her." Tears filled her eyes as she realized everything she had been through with her father. "You know," she began, "the night he took me away, we had some trouble with the Thenardiers, then with Javert, and so we hid in a convent. My father told me he owed his life to a bishop, and although I never understood why, I will never forget that night. We were so safe until –" Her tears stopped her from tearing up._

_"It's alright, please don't cry."_

_"Marius, you're all I have if my father dies. He cannot die – promise me he won't die?"_

_"Cosette –"_

_"Marius!" She sniffled, "Please..."_

_"I promise." He choked, unaware of the words he had just uttered._

_"Thank you."_

_As their eyes met, Marius kissed her underneath the moonlight, forgetting the conversation he had shared with Eponine, the jealously he had felt, all he could feel was the first real kiss they had shared. All he could think about was Cosette, and why he had not noticed her before. In that moment, he knew he would be happy as long as she were by his side, and would be no matter what._

Remembering his moments with her only upset him further, but Marius now knew where her father would be.

"The convent!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

"We cannot afford to waste more time Marius. Are you sure?" Enjolras asked, helping Eponine back onto the cab.

"I'm positive, now hurry!" Marius ordered, pushing him in next to Eponine, minding his bad arm as well as hers and commanding the driver to the convent Cosette had spoken of.

"Are you alright?" He asked Eponine, after he realized she had been tearing up.

"I can't move my arm." She replied calmly, distracting herself by staring blankly at the window, watching the figures pass by a setting sun, their shadows almost dancing on the pavement.

"You shouldn't have come." Enjolras muttered, suddenly distraught by the thought of losing her.

"Stop telling her what do!" Marius commanded, staring angrily at him, unaware of what he was trying to prove himself.

"The war's gone to his head. Just ignore him." Eponine replied, trying herself to ignore Marius' strange behaviour.

She could not imagine a life without him, but she desperately needed him to stay away from the life she was building with Enjolras. He had told her that she wanted to spend every day with her by his side, but if Marius was to come between them and destroy the only true love she had ever shared with another person, then he couldn't hold a place in her life at all.

"Marius, get your thoughts together." Enjolras emphasized, "I understand how horrible Cosette's death was for you, believe me, I know how that feels," he quickly glanced at Eponine, who seemed dazed, "but we have bigger things to worry about." He spoke softly but firmly, trying not to disturb Eponine and upset her.

He would have torn Marius' hair out if it weren't for her presence and severe injuries. What was wrong with him? Enjolras had remained by his side for years, they were leading the rebels of the ABC Society, they were schoolmates, almost like brothers - what had Enjolras done wrong along the way?

Suddenly, as though everything that he had missed throughout the past days had returned to him in the most blatant way imaginable, he quickly realized what he had been so oblivious to the whole time.

_Marius was in love with Eponine_.

He always knew that, even when he came to ask Marius for help in finding that beautiful girl on the streets, he knew that Marius would summon Eponine for help because of how strongly he felt about her. He spent hours daydreaming about her once they met, as though it were only Eponine that could bring him any sort of happiness. Only she knew his secrets and he only spoke to her the way he did. In all his years of knowing Marius, Enjolras had never seen him the way he was when he was with Eponine.

Even though she was not typically stunning, her heart and wits made up for the very little that was not there. Marius had seen that before him, so why had Eponine chosen him?

It was an action as small as the love between two unlikely people that had sparked the romance between Marius and Cosette in the first place, bringing them closer as they fell in love. It was also this action that had caused Marius' attempt at suicide and the loss of Eponine's hand. If Enjolras had seen what had truly mattered to his people, as opposed to politics, Patria, and rebelling against the government - then he could have prevented where they ever so miserably stood now. Most of all, he could have prevented the biggest fear he had at the moment - facing the man who had lost a daughter because of his silly infatuation over a girl.

Tears filled his eyes as he faced the truth. He was just one man whose heart would break brutally if he lost his lover, but his victory for France soothed that pain to an extent. If he were to do one right and just thing now, just as Cosette had, he had to let Eponine go; not only for Marius' sake but for Eponine's as well. He could never be the man she could confide in with such ease, he could never be the man that she could say she befriended first – Marius could though. How lovely their 'little' lives would be if they had each other at last.

Enjolras had been handed everything he'd ever wanted, however difficult it may have been, but Marius hadn't. He even recalled the day they had paraded the bustling streets of Paris, only for Marius to be confronted by a man who had called him a disgrace. Of course Marius chose to ignore it, but his sorrowful eyes spoke for themselves. Although Enjolras had no idea who the man was or why he was preying on poor Marius, he didn't even give the event a second thought. Later that night, he seemed happier, and Enjolras immediately realized that it had been a result of speaking to 'his' Eponine. If speaking to her had enlightened his life then, letting him take Eponine back could enlighten his life now. It had barely been two weeks since they had fallen for one another and that gave Marius a chance at taking her back. It wouldn't hurt her too much this early on. It couldn't…

"Thank you Monsieur!" Enjolras exclaimed, levering himself out of the carriage quickly as it stopped, minding his bad arm.

After Marius had helped Eponine out the other side, the three ran towards an open door to the church, its peaceful exterior and interior easing their racing hearts.

The convent was quiet and, other than some candles lighting the dim and vacant hallways, there was no light.

Eponine traced her fingers along the walls to help her see as she stumbled and limped behind Marius. Enjolras walked at her heels, supporting her with every step, cherishing any moments he had left with her.

"Split up!" Marius commanded as he ran in one direction, sticking his head into any doorway he found.

Eponine stood where she stopped, shivering.

"What's wrong? Are you cold?" Enjolras asked, taking off his deep red vest with golden embellishments and putting it around her.

"No," she shook her head and spoke in soft whispers. "I'm scared."

"You need rest." he shook his head in disappointment.

"You were right you know." She nodded silently, "I shouldn't have come. I'll get better, I know I will, but I should have stayed at the hospital with everyone else."

Enjolras opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He just stood breathless in the middle of the hallway, realizing how exhausted he was. So exhausted, that he hadn't noticed Marius rush passed them to the rooms they were meant to look in.

"Eponine, I have to tell you something." He began, choking back tears.

"Alright." She sighed, nodding, then yawning.

"Eponine -"

"He isn't here!" Marius cried as he approached the two, who, unaware of it, where holding onto to each other for support.

"I don't know where he'd be –"

"Javert!" A harsh voice asserted outside the convent. Suddenly, fear struck the hearts of the three, a hard knot forming in their throats. Was this man not dead? Had he not been slain by Cosette's father the night before the battle?

"Not. A. Word." Enjolras enunciated slowly, trembling slightly himself.

Quickly and slyly, he moved outside to see what this former enemy of theirs was doing at a convent, and who was with him? How was he alive? Pulling out his gun and cocking it, he slowly moved outside and made out the scene.

"YOU ARE 24601, YOU ARE JEAN VALJEAN, AND YOU ARE A PRISONER!" Javert screeched, holding Cosette's father by the neck as he stood there uselessly.

Impulsively, Enjolras fired his gun at Javert, but missed due to his trembling. Angry with himself, he stared awestruck at Cosette's father. Why had Javert called him a prisoner?

"Enjolras –" Valjean began, but stopped himself as Javert threw him to the ground violently, leaving him with no energy to stand back up.

He had to do something, anything! Where were the other two? Where were the nuns? The bishop? _Anybody?_

"Help! HELP!" He called out uselessly as Javert pulled out his gun, aiming it at Valjean and looking above, as if to thank god for this opportunity.

Enjolras threw himself at Javert, letting the bullet fly into the empty air, missing them both.

"ENJOLRAS!" Eponine screamed suddenly, bringing herself to run to the scene, followed by Marius.

Grabbing the gun that Enjolras had left on the ground in the heat of the moment, Marius cocked it and aimed at Javert, still in disbelief that he was alive.

"Marius, my son! No!" Jean called out, standing to guard Javert.

"Monsieur! What are you doing?" Eponine cried, moving to face Valjean, grabbing his hand with her good one.

"I beg of you, do not kill this man. He is just doing his duty."

"His duty!?" Enjolras spit, "Is that to kill an innocent man in front of a church?"

"He is right." Javert sighed, throwing his hat on the floor in shame, "Kill me. I deserve it."

"No man deserves it." Marius replied firmly as Eponine smiled sadly at him, proud of his realization.

"Javert, stay here, in the convent." Valjean suggested, speaking softly so that he would understand, "Learn the ways of God, learn to appreciate them. Do not do this to yourself."

As the scene unfolded in front of her, Eponine figured that the events had taken place because they were at the convent, but a miracle had happened in the end of it all. Without another word, Javert lugged himself into the church, throwing his silver badges on the floor behind him, and shutting the door. She sent a small prayer out quickly, that Javert would be at peace with himself and with Cosette's father. Before she could help Valjean back on his feet, he had fainted, exhausted and overcome with emotion.

"We must get him to a hospital!" Marius cried, "We're going back."

Enjolras nodded, trying to help Eponine carry the man, as she was paralyzed with fear.

_How quickly things can happen, how fast things can change,_ he thought.

Jean Valjean had come to the convent, but only moments before they had arrived. He had been chased by Javert because he was a criminal, for reason still unknown to him. Now, he had fainted, his life at risk from the fear and worry inflicted upon him in the short hours that had passed.

Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, Enjolras burst into tears, the first time he had fully cried in what seemed like years. All that went through his mind was every passing moment since the bullet had penetrated his shoulder. Everything from Cosette's death, the war, Eponine's promise to him, Marius' attempt at suicide, Eponine's loss, winning the battle, being called a hero, the search for Cosette's father, and now – his decision to finally let go of Eponine. He was trembling so violently from tears that he choked on them as they ran down his face. Salty, bitter tears.

"Enjolras," Marius whispered anxiously. He shook Enjolras as he continued, "ENJOLRAS! We'll be at the hospital soon. Calm yourself."

With those words, and a few very long minutes, they had arrived at the hospital with all their budding futures at risk.


	13. Final Decisions

**Chapter Thirteen  
Final Decisions**

The familiar white walls that had embedded their colour into Eponine's mind had returned, this time bearing a different sense of urgency. Last time, she had feared for her hand, this time, she feared greatly for the sanity of three very important people in her life. This time, Grantaire and Joly were not lying on her sides, but Marius and Enjolras. How silly she felt having to be chosen by either one, like she were some prize to be passed around and fought over. She had never seen herself as much, she wasn't, but why these two men bickered over her baffled and perplexed her.

Enjolras had fallen asleep so quickly and peacefully that it had given Marius piece of mind knowing he was at ease. He understood how overwhelmed his hardworking friend was, and more than anything, he knew his sudden outburst in front of Eponine had bothered him. In the quiet and calm atmosphere of the hospital, Marius began to thoroughly contemplate the reason he had tried to kill himself. It must have frightened the others so much, as it terrified him. It was more of an instinctive action. And action he had given much thought to, but never with any realism. Although he did not know why for certain, Marius had been troubled with horrible thoughts coming and going for hours and hours on end that day and throughout the events that had unfolded. It was as if they were taking control of him and not letting him speak for himself. His tortured mind was manipulating his words, his broken heart taking advantage of his actions.

Marius remembered a time when Enjolras would look down to the streets when women admired him, and now, he had finally found somebody to share a loving glance with. How selfish of him it was to tear apart something that was meant to stay together.

It were as if he were tearing apart the wings of a butterfly. It would be difficult for the poor creature to fly without one wing, and with both wings gone – it would not be able to live at all. The wings needed to be together, just as Eponine and Enjolras. They had worked themselves sick trying to get something out of their lives while Marius abused his grandfather's care and rebelled against the government. He had found love with Cosette, but he had acted horribly upon her death and ultimately tried to forget she ever existed. How this must have bothered Eponine, how it must have confused Enjolras…

"Marius?" Eponine whispered, trying to make certain he was awake.

"Yes?"

"Thank goodness you're awake!" She sighed, shifting herself to a sitting position, "Were you hurt?"

"I cut my leg open trying to help Enjolras, but I'm fine." He quickly glanced at the bandage wrapped firmly around his bruised and stitched thigh, "How's your hand?"

"Fine." Eponine looked down again quickly, not to mask any tears, but to stifle a laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm not sure." She carried on, looking up and grinning ear to ear, "I guess, in a way, I'm glad that everything's over." Whispering, she added, "For now."

Marius couldn't help but smile as well, a weight finally being lifted off his sagging shoulders.

"Did you see what happened to Cosette's father?" She urged, looking around for any sign of him.

"Yes."

"Is he alright?"

"I hope so. He was still asleep when I saw them take him away."

"Marius – do they know he was a criminal?"

"You heard too?" He looked around to see if anybody would hear him.

Other than Enjolras' quick mutters of useless words and heavy breathing, no significant movements or noises were made. Not even from the nurses.

"I did…" Eponine sighed, "I can't bring myself to believe he'd ever done anything _that_ bad."

"Me either."

"Me too." Enjolras added as he woke, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright lighting.

"Oh! I'm so glad you're awake!" Eponine sighed, looking into his tired eyes.

Bright purple bruises, turning yellow, had appeared underneath them, likely a result of the blows he received in battle that Eponine had been too blind to notice.

"Are you both alright? Is Jean Valjean?"

"We don't know." Marius and Eponine replied in unison.

"I was so worried about him."

"I was worried about you." Eponine replied, almost reading Marius' thoughts and taking the words out of his mouth.

Although he was in no position to comment on Enjolras' sanity, he was tired of his self-sacrificing, as well as Eponine's. Even his to be quite honest… If they did not begin to communicate soon, a disaster greater than the current one would occur.

Before much more words could be exchanged between the three, Valjean had appeared in the doorway wearing his thick coat and top hat. He seemed to be looking for an escape – was he trying to run away?

"Monsieur!" Enjolras called out quickly, bringing his attention to the three.

"Enjolras…" He began, walking towards them with a certain weakness, "Marius, Eponine." He whispered, as if to refresh the names in his memory.

"How are you feeling Monsieur?" Eponine asked. Trying to brighten his mood, she added, "You were certainly under the care of God at the convent. I' sure Javert won't bother you any more."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He differed suddenly, batting away the words.

"What?" Marius shook his head, trying to keep the man from bringing up his daughter's death.

"Marius, you know what I'm speaking of." He replied grimly. "I saw her body. I saw the lifeless heap it had become in the rain. In the battle." He looked as though he was trying extremely hard not to break down sobbing. Who could blame him?

"Monsieur, Cosette had told me to tell you it was the only way she could have ever been truly happy." She began to remember Cosette's exact words then, "She said that you have a place with her in heaven, and that you were the greatest thing to have ever happened to her. That she loves you."

He took a moment to contemplate the words, his expression that of a dying man. Truthfully, although he knew it were wrong, he envied the children for being alive instead of his daughter.

"Cosette saved my younger brother's life. He is extremely stupid, I know, but – I'd never seen her so happy with anything she'd done after she'd saved him. Monsieur, your daughter is a hero and an angel." Eponine added quickly.

With her words, Valjean finally noticed that her hand had been amputated, that Marius had a pair of crutches by his side, and that Enjolras was covered in cuts and scrapes, as well bruises underneath his swollen eyes. These were all children of the barricade, they had all lost a part of themselves, and for better or for worse, they would be changed forever.

Cosette was simply a part of them, and now, she was in the kingdom of God – with Fantine. The very women she had been separated so suddenly from years ago. Had Valjean not made a promise to care for this daughter? He had kept that promise till the battle, and now, she was in the care of her mother at last. Although it was a heartbreaking lost, it was nothing Jean Valjean wasn't accustomed to – especially after his nineteen brutal years of prison time. He had lost a piece of himself, perhaps the biggest part there was, but his heart would mend eventually, and he too would join his daughter in heaven one day. _One day._

Looking back on the events of the past few days, it seemed as if so much could change in one very short day. No one ever knew what tomorrow would bring, and till tomorrow, Valjean would have to bear with his loss day after day until it faded. As did Eponine, as did Enjolras, as did Marius.

"My children," he sighed softly, pain still in his voice, "come with me. I shall take you to your friends."

"Where will you go?" Marius called anxiously.

"To my home." He replied smiling, giving Marius a sense of relief, "I must also apologize. If it were not for Javert, you would have never found out about my past. I know it's horrible."

"Monsieur, we have nothing but respect for you. We admire you. Nothing could change the way we think of you and all you have done for us."

Enjolras responded quickly, trying to sit up and face him. After failing at the attempt, he merely smiled nonchalantly at the man as he summoned the cabriolet he'd called earlier. He was never trying to escape; he was merely trying go back to his home.

After being discharged, the first he helped onto the cab was Enjolras, clearly now the weaker of the other two which was the biggest shock to Valjean. Years of intense studies and planning had finally worn him out. _He is just a boy,_ Jean said to himself as Enjolras sat down, trembling, followed by Marius, then Eponine. Valjean took the final seat and the short journey began.

Eponine had wondered where the rest of les amis were now, after all, the barricade and Musain were nothing ore than a battleground, covered in rotting corpses and broken furniture, not to mention blood tainted floors and the acrid smoke that filled the air. It was no longer a home to them. It would no longer be a place of laughter and drinking, with tears and cheers from the victories planned on late nights, or the books piled high to the ceiling from studying. It would no longer hold the late night conversations between Marius and Eponine, or perhaps Combeferre and Courfeyrac or Grantaire and Enjolras. Gavroche would never dance on the tables again and the group would never have to hide from Thenardier on his surprise visits. It was sad really, but again, something they would all grow accustomed to eventually. At least they had their lives intact, that was truly important.

The clouds were partially covering the morning sun, sending it down in streaks and beams of light, illuminating the cab in sections. Eponine smiled at the small light show, reminding herself constantly that her struggles were over and that she could move on.

She was the first to notice they had stopped in front of a large, tidy, inn. Shudders flew up her spine as she remembered the inn that her parents had owned – where was this place?

"Your grandfather, Marius, was so impressed with your victory that he bought the inn he planned on giving to you as a home earlier. Just in case he had passed before you'd come back."

"_My_ grandfather?"

Valjean nodded contently, "It seems as though the people in the villages are spreading news of the heroes that are saving France. Your grandfather must have heard too."

Marius didn't know what to do with himself, neither did Eponine. His grandfather had finally accepted Marius' antics; he was no longer a disgrace. Enjolras had done General Lamarque proud, the man he looked up to, and now, Marius had done his grandfather proud, the man who had taken him in after his parents' death. A piece of himself had grown back, mending his bruised and battered heart.

Before he knew it, they had entered the inn, showered in cheers from les amis, who were sitting in chairs and sofas amongst the well-furnished lobby. Eponine's jaw nearly fell to the floor in awe as she walked in, getting embraced quickly by Gavroche.

What an inn! It was beautiful! Nothing like she would have ever imagined an inn could be. There weren't drunkards scattered throughout the lobby, illegal affairs taking place in the rooms next to hers, and vomit from poisoned food tainting the floors and tables.

"'Ponine! Your hand!" Gavroche suddenly exclaimed.

"Battle scar." She corrected, smiling at him confidently. "I saved Monsieur Marius' life you know," She whispered, suddenly adding, "but don't tell him that!"

Gavroche giggled nervously, still in shock, and joined Grantaire, who seemed lifeless and tired.

"What's the matter with you?" Enjolras asked weakly, shocked that his old friend was just a lifeless heap now. What happened to all his spirit?

"He's been sober for days." Courfeyrac replied instead.

"Sober?" Enjolras asked laughing, "_For days!_?"

"Don't mock me…" Grantaire moaned, rolling onto his stomach. "Doc' said I got to stay sober."

"Ugh, you're a bigger mess than you were when you were drunk. Please, go back to drinking." Enjolras begged, laughing.

Eponine hit him playfully and giggled, "Don't tempt him. To be honest, I like this version of him better."

"Oh! Are you and Eponine still, you know." Courfeyrac asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Shut up, will ya?" Eponine snapped teasingly, entwining her fingers with Enjolras'.

"Actually," Enjolras began only to be stopped my Marius, who had just finished his goodbyes with Valjean, tears still in his eyes.

"I need to speak with you." He said urgently, Enjolras following Marius as he limped with his crutches tucked underneath his arms.

Eponine instead began talking to Valjean, making sure he knew how much of a father figure he had been to her in the past days, and how Cosette had become a sister to her.

"Listen," Marius began, "I know you and Eponine are together but –"

"Say no more, Marius. I know how fondly you think of her and always had. You can have her. She's not a gift to be passed around, but, you truly deserve her."

"No!" Marius differed.

Although the words he were about to say stung him to the core, he had already made his decision. Enjolras had never felt love so deeply, whereas Marius became infatuated easily. After all, before Cosette, who he was less than infatuated with, lasting only a day, Enjolras only knew Patria as his mistress.

"I've seen you both together. I fell in love with Eponine for the sake of falling in love. If I were any sort of man, I would have stuck by her instead of venturing off to Cosette as soon as the opportunity presented itself. I'm sick of all this sacrificing Enjolras!" He continued, "Cosette sacrificed her life, you sacrificed Patria, and now, I'm sacrificing my infatuation. I've gotten over Eponine previously; I just felt the need to love again after Cosette was gone. She's yours, and honestly – I think she may be for a while." Marius patted Enjolras on the shoulder heartily, "Take care of her, will you?" He smiled and moved towards the crowd of his friends.

Enjolras was moved by his friend's words, had he gone through the same thoughts as he? Marius was a man, for no person, let alone _man_, would give up his love for the wellbeing of another.

Enjolras never received the chance to say goodbye to Jean Valjean, for when he returned to the group, he had left the inn.

Looking for Eponine to ask her whether Valjean had left a forwarding address where he could be contacted, he realized that there was a knock on the inn's doors. Hoping it was Valjean, he awaited for them to open. As they flew open, a familiar face appeared in the doorway, striking fear into his heart but mostly Eponine's.

As she let out a scream, the man approached her, grabbing her wrists so tightly they began to turn purple. He seemed to ignore the fact that she had no hand on her right arm, but with the fury in his eyes, it was no shock.

"LET GO OF ME!" Eponine screamed, kicking him in the groin and watching him sink to his knees in pain, a yelp escaping his lips. She could feel the burning pain return to her wrist, her eyes began to fill with tears, her head beginning to spin. The pain was unbearable. Marius quickly attempted to make a move but stopped as the man pulled out a gun.

"Thenardier, let go of her!" Enjolras snapped, his voice like ice.

"Oh, an' who are ya' to tell me what to do?" He slurred, "I've 'ome to take 'Ponine away."

"Why!?" She cried, scrambling to her feet, trying to fight off the urge to faint.

"Oh, why are ya so surprised? Ya disappear for days, and expec' a warm welcome?"

"I do, yes." She spit, frantically backing away from him.

"Well, ya'r new 'hero' status has made ya'r new job even easier!"

"My new job?" She stuttered, "What on Earth are you talking about!?"

"I've sold you." He replied smugly, revealing five gold coins in his filthy hand.

**Authors Note: **Alright mes amis, the finale of this story is fast approaching, so I've got a question about what to write next! I'd love some help deciding between my current ideas. I'm deciding between a Les Miserables 50's/60's AU OR a totally modern version of the story. Also, I have yet to write the sequel to Life Moves on. I've also had this idea of writing The Phantom of the Opera, before, after, and during the story, in Christine's POV. Let me know what you think please! Merci beaucoup!


	14. Finalement

**Chapter  
Finalement**

Enjolras would have attacked Thenardier on the spot if it were not for his weakening body and the gun trembling in the man's oversized hands.

Thenardier simply seemed to be shaking from his sheer anger, his face turning red and his eyebrows furrowing.

"Come Eponine." He commanded harshly, reaching to grab her violently.

"YOU CAN'T SELL ME!" She screamed, hiding behind Enjolras, who stumbled slightly.

"Why on Earth not?" He differed, laughing almost maniacally, "Ya'r a product 'Ponine." He said in a relaxed manner, as though he were uttering the truth, "Men want to 'ave you and they will! For money!"

Being drunk, the situation sounded five hundred times worse coming out of his mouth, although it was already a waking nightmare to everyone else.

Enjolras had been contemplating how to save Eponine since he saw her father's face. What could he do? What _would_ he do? If he killed him, or ordered Marius to do so, it would simply scar Eponine and he would never get the blood off his hands. It would spill out like a river onto the streets, everyone would know he were no hero - just a murderer. Then again, it was this very man who was torturing Eponine so.

Setting on a thought, he knew what to do next. It was time for him to change Eponine's life, to help her get away from the monster she had been trying to run from her entire life.

Clearing his throat, Enjolras spoke up, "You can't sell her."

"What the 'ell do ya want!?" He asked, pointing the gun at him as he put his hands over his head defensively.

"You can't _sell_ or _tell_ a married woman what to do Monsieur."

"'Cuse me!?" He stuttered, dropping his gun.

Marius flocked towards it, grabbing it and hiding it in his pockets.

Grantaire hiccupped, seeming to have become drunk from the situation on its own.

"Eponine is married." He said as he squeezed her hand to make sure she understood what he was doing.

"To who, you lil' slut!?" He moved towards her but stopped as Marius' pressed the gun to his head angrily.

Thenardier dropped to his knees again, now shaking even harder from frustration.

"To me." Enjolras replied confidently, slipping a ring he had kept on his left hand on her ring finger secretly, and then revealing it to her father.

"You cannot tell a married woman what to do, 'Father'." Eponine said, curtseying sarcastically at her father then slapping him in the face.

"Get out, and don't come back." Marius threatened, kicking the man out of the door and firing the gun above his head.

After shutting the doors quickly, checking if the coast was clear, and after a long moment of awkward silence, the inn broke out in joyous cheers and applause.

All eyes were riveted on Eponine, anticipating her answer to his sudden proposal.

"You didn't have to do that for me." Eponine smiled, "He could have sold me and we'd be rich. Really, I'm used to abuse."

"No, enough is enough." Enjolras reassured, stroking her cheeks. "Remember that night your father tried to hit you? I suspected he was at fault because of your bruise, and you know what that did for me?"

"Made you realize I'm pathetic?"

"No, it made me fall in love with another part of you. Your bravery."

"What?"

"I'd fallen in love with your bravery first, then your heart, then your determination, then your humour – I could go on."

She smiled, but stopped herself.

"Here," she sighed, giving him back the ring. "It must have cost a lot."

"I found it on the streets actually." He replied, "Can you wear it for now?"

"Why would I wear it?"

"Because I want you to be my wife."

"What!?" She nearly choked, "I thought you were only doing that for my father…"

"The love I feel for you is real, so is my proposal. I don't know what I'd do without you, and I want you to be by my side forever." He slipped the ring back into her trembling finger, "What do you say?"

"YES!" She kissed him immediately, feeling the best she had ever felt.

Around them, les amis broke out in cheers once more and looked at eachother completely aghast. Who'd have thought Enjolras would have ended up with Eponine, and not the lovestruck Marius, who was the first to congratulate them.

"I am so happy for you both! Really, I'm so glad."

"Marius, are you sure?" Enjolras asked, making sure his old friend was feeling alright.

"I'm more than sure." He embraced them both, "You have my blessing, although you probably didn't need it." They all laughed and Marius handed them a sheet of paper, "Valjean's address, my wedding gift to you both!"

Enjolras thanked Marius a thousand times and Eponine kissed her old friend on the cheek, thanking him for always being there for her.

Later, Gavroche approached the two smugly, "I told ya he'd propose!"

"Yes you did." Eponine smiled, kissing her little brother's cheeks, "I should have listened!" She teased, nudging him along.

Grantaire quickly cracked open a bottle of champagne from the wine cabinet along the bar in the lobby hectically and watching as Marius proposed a toast.

"To Eponine and Enjolras!" He exclaimed, pouring them both a glass.

At last, they were together - in peace.

Although it took a month of planning, the wedding took place two months after the proposal.

The first person Enjolras had invited to the wedding was Jean Valjean, who had begun tending to his duties as mayor once Marius and his grandfather had made sure he was not to be charged guilty for his previous crimes.

Eponine had invited all of les amis to the wedding, and Thenardier had barely passed her mind. The old fool was stuck begging on the streets, haggling for money with his wife, both of them deserving what they had gotten.

Gavroche and Marius were made the best men and Grantaire was to tend to the bar, almost a dream come true for him.

The wedding was to be held inside the inn Marius' grandfather, who had also been invited, had bought and decorated for the event. With Feuilly's help, a series of white, pink, and red roses lined the walls and vases around the lobby. The tables were set and the cake was bought, having three tears, all covered in red and white flowers as well.

On the day of the wedding, Eponine had never looked, or felt so good in her entire life, feeling as though she had begun a new chapter in it.

Feuilly had designed thin wreaths of white flowers that were wrapped around her waist and her hair. The silky white dress fell to her ankles and was accented with lace, her shoes adding slightly to her height.

Enjolras had never been so glad to have Eponine in his arms at last, both of them together in peace. His suit was black, with a red sash to emphasize the struggles the two overcame to be together at last, also to remind him of all the work he'd gone through to assure their victory at the barricade.

Upon the wedding, Jean Valjean sent out another prayer for the children, wishing them long and prosperous years ahead.

As their vows were made, all of les amis could have sworn they heard singing from above, a little tune Cosette used to hum when she was alone upstairs in Musain. Although it shocked them at first, it gave them peace knowing they had just received her blessing.

Eponine and Enjolras kissed one another for the first time as man and wife short after, joining their friends for a celebration.

With all the lives gathered in the inn that day, Jean Valjean confirmed that each day they had all endured was worth it in the end. One more day for things to mend themselves was worth waiting for. With Cosette's song fresh in his mind and his heart out to the newlyweds, Valjean smiled above and thanked God.

They had all found happiness at last.

**Fin.**

A/N:

_Alright mes amis, that is the end of the story! I cannot thank __**every single one of you**__ enough for all the amazing reviews, follows, and favourites - it motivated me to keep writing and writing. Please let me know if you want me to write anything in particular, I'm open to suggestions all the time! Merci beaucoup!_

_P.S. I'm currently writing a Modern AU called __**Red and Black**__, it's another Eponine/Enjolras love story with the barricade boys and Cosette and etc. I'd love for you all to read that too! *skip to the 2nd chapter if you do*_


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